Ibrahima Konate admits he is playing through pain but “can die for this team”

Ibrahima Konate has admitted that he “rushed” his comeback and is playing through pain, but Liverpool “never took a risk” with him.

Having missed eight games due to a knee injury picked up in November, Arne Slot turned to Joe Gomez at centre-back.

When Gomez got injured, though, Konate said he knew he “had to come back really quickly.”

The Frenchman returned to action to start against Man United on January 5 but has now admitted he “rushed his comeback for this team.”

He explained: “I try to come back really 100 percent but I am not because I rushed my comeback with my knee, but I’ve done this for my team. I can die for this team then, it’s fine.

“My knee will come back really 100 percent very soon, it’s fine. I still have pain sometimes, but I play with painkillers and it’s enough for me to play.”

Asked if he was worried about his injury, he responded with an unsure murmur before adding: “I don’t have to think about that, I just have to think about to play and this will go away soon.

“I was very close to coming back anyway. The plan was to train on this week but when I saw Joe with his injury, I was like, ‘OK, I have to come back really quick and don’t really think about my knee’.

“For sure, my first game I feel it a little bit but the pain will get better day after day. It’s fine, it’s enough to play and to have a great game as well.”

Liverpool’s 25-year-old centre-half has struggled with injury problems throughout his young career, missing 37 games for the Reds before this campaign.

This year, though, he has managed to regain some consistency and the Frenchman thanked the medical staff at the club.

“The physios, the medical staff have done a very great job and I spend I don’t how many hours at the club every day when I was injured,” continued Konate.

“I was very happy and I thanked them with some cookies!

“This season, they have done a very good job and they will never take a risk with me.

“It was very me who was ready to play but like I said, I play with a little bit of pain but it’s enough to play and be ready as well.”