Ibrahima Konaté has confirmed the devastating passing of his father after being absent from Liverpool’s recent match.

 

 

Ibrahima Konaté has confirmed the heartbreaking news that his father, Hamady, has passed away, explaining his absence from Liverpool’s Champions League victory over Marseille.

The Liverpool defender shared the news on Instagram, posting details of his father’s funeral alongside a message that read: “From Him we come, and to Him we return.” The France international had been missing from training earlier in the week, with Arne Slot initially citing personal reasons for his absence before the cause was made public.

After the match, Slot expressed his sympathy, telling TNT Sports: “First of all, the family matter is the reason he’s not here. It’s very sad for him.” Captain Virgil van Dijk also offered his support, saying his thoughts were with Konaté during this difficult time.

Joe Gomez stepped in at centre-back and delivered a solid performance as Liverpool kept a clean sheet, securing a 3–0 win thanks to a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick and an own goal from Jeremie Frimpong.

The victory lifted Liverpool to fourth place in the Champions League standings, putting them on the brink of automatic qualification for the last 16 ahead of their final group game against Qarabag. Before that, the Reds travel to Bournemouth in the Premier League, with Gomez expected to continue in defence while Konaté remains on compassionate leave.

Elsewhere, Federico Chiesa remains a doubt after withdrawing from the squad late on against Marseille. Slot revealed the winger felt an issue during training the previous day and stayed with the team in France to receive treatment, though he was ultimately unable to play.

Liverpool’s injury concerns continue, with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni ruled out for the rest of the season due to serious knee injuries. Alexander Isak is also set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken leg in the win over Tottenham shortly before Christmas.