Liverpool Rallies Around Konate After Father’s Passing

Liverpool’s football family is rallying around defender Ibrahima Konate after the French centre-back announced the heartbreaking passing of his father, Hamady Konate, earlier this week. The 26-year-old, who has been a mainstay in the Reds’ backline this season, missed Liverpool’s emphatic 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as he returned to France to be with his family during this difficult time.

Konate confirmed the devastating news in a poignant Instagram post on January 22, 2026, sharing both the loss and the funeral details with his 3.2 million followers. His message, steeped in his Islamic faith, read: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return. Janazah (Funeral Prayer) for our father Hamady Konaté will take place on Friday, 23 January, after Jumu’ah prayer at In Sha Allah (12:45 pm).” He included a hadith from Islamic tradition: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘There is no deceased person over whom a group of Muslims numbering one hundred prays, all of them interceding for him, except that their intercession is accepted.’”

For Liverpool, Konate’s absence was felt not only on the pitch but also in the dressing room. Manager Arne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports before and after the Marseille match, expressed his sympathy for Konate and his family. “No, first of all for the family matter, why he is not here, it is very sad for him. Second of all, we miss him because I mainly played him and [Virgil van Dijk],” Slot said. The Dutch boss acknowledged the tactical blow of losing his preferred central defensive pairing, particularly in such a crucial European fixture.

With Konate unavailable, Joe Gomez stepped into the starting lineup alongside Virgil van Dijk. Despite limited playing time over the previous eighteen months, Gomez delivered a strong performance, helping Liverpool secure a clean sheet and all three points. Slot praised Gomez’s contribution: “Joe is a good replacement but not played much in the one-and-a-half year that I have been here, for obvious reasons. But it’s a great game for him, he’s not played a lot. He has showed that he can build a great partnership with Virgil, winning the Premier League under Jurgen five years ago now. He’s shown he can be a really good player for us.”

Van Dijk, the team’s captain and Konate’s regular partner in defense, offered public support to his teammate after the final whistle. “My thoughts are with him (Konate). I’m very happy to play with Joe. We are good friends, that helps as well. He played outstanding and was important in the first goal,” Van Dijk told reporters, highlighting both the emotional and sporting impact of Konate’s absence.

Konate’s journey to the top of European football has been shaped by the influence of his late father. In a past interview with French media, Konate recalled the advice Hamady gave him when he left for Sochaux’s academy at age fifteen: “Become someone good.” That message resonated throughout his development, with Konate later reflecting, “I took a screenshot and kept it because I knew I had fulfilled the mission my father gave me.” His former Sochaux coach Eric Hely once told ESPN, “He didn’t want to let anyone down, especially his father. Now he deserves everything he is getting.”

Konate’s form for Liverpool had been on an upward trajectory in recent weeks, following a patchy start to the campaign. His performances alongside Van Dijk were instrumental in Liverpool’s current unbeaten run, which now stands at thirteen matches across all competitions. The Reds’ 3-0 win over Marseille not only showcased the squad’s depth but also solidified their position in the top four of their Champions League group, putting them two points ahead of ninth-placed Barcelona and setting up a decisive clash against Qarabag next week. Three points in that fixture would guarantee Liverpool automatic qualification to the knockout stages, avoiding the perils of the playoff round.

Despite Konate’s absence, Liverpool’s defensive organization remained robust, with Gomez and Van Dijk marshaling the backline. The squad’s resilience has been tested throughout a season marked by injuries and fixture congestion. Slot acknowledged this after the Marseille game, noting, “It’s very important because we have had to play with the same players because of injuries for most of the season. That could be the reason why we have run out of energy in some of the games when we’ve conceded. I don’t think Virgil (van Dijk) has had more than three days off, the same for Ryan (Gravenberch) and others, but they constantly show up no matter how many setbacks we’ve had this season.”

Slot also highlighted the challenge of facing Marseille, particularly given the quality of their manager and the intensity of their supporters. “It’s always very difficult to play Marseille because of their passionate fans and the quality of their players, but what makes it even harder is the quality of their manager. We were prepared for that. We took the ball off them three or four times in the first half but couldn’t find the player who was completely free, apart from one time and he (Hugo Ekitike) was fractionally offside. On the ball we were controlled, but what made the difference this time was that after we had a big chance and hit the post, they had a big chance and put it over: usually this season that goes in. But we were able to make it 2-0, 3-0 and so that makes the perception of the game completely different.”

As for Konate’s immediate future, it remains highly unlikely he will feature in Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixture against Bournemouth, scheduled for Saturday, January 24, 2026. The funeral prayer for his father is set for Friday afternoon in Paris, and the club has yet to provide an update on when Konate might rejoin the squad. With his contract due to expire at the end of the season and reported interest from Real Madrid, speculation over his long-term future at Anfield is sure to intensify in the coming weeks.

For now, though, the focus is firmly on supporting Konate and his family through their loss. The outpouring of sympathy from teammates, coaches, and fans alike underscores the unity within the Liverpool camp. As the Reds prepare for a crucial stretch of matches both domestically and in Europe, Konate’s absence serves as a poignant reminder that, in football as in life, some things transcend the game.