'Guilty of gross errors' - national media not impressed with Liverpool player's 3/10 performance

Ibrahima Konate endured a difficult evening as France suffered defeat against Italy in the Nations League.

The Liverpool defender was back in Les Bleus' starting line-up after not featuring at Euro 2024. Konate did not make a single appearance as France reached the semi-finals of the competition in Germany earlier this summer.

But after starting the 2024-25 Premier League campaign in eye-catching form, helping the Reds win all three fixtures without conceding a goal, the 25-year-old was handed a chance from the outset as France took on Italy in the Nations League at the Parc des Princes.

Despite the home side taking the lead inside 60 seconds through Bradley Barcola, Didier Deschamps' side surrendered their advantage. Federico Dimarco equalised for Italy on the half-hour mark before Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori netted in the second period. It was Italy's first victory in France for 70 years.

Les Bleus are left licking their wounds and now must bounce back when they face Belgium on Monday. It will be interesting to see if Konate keeps his spot over Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano. The France press have dished out their player ratings for the Italy reverse and Konate - like the majority of his team-mates including centre-back partner William Saliba - failed to impress.

FootMercato gave the ex-RB Leipzig defender just a 3/10 and commented: Back as a starter in the French team, Ibrahima Konaté was reassuring in his interventions, but sometimes had trouble with his positioning, alongside Saliba. On the equalizing goal, we felt he was having a little trouble marking. Same thing on the second goal conceded, where he was behind Frattesi.

Le Parisien delivered Konate the same score and and said: Back as a starter after going through the Euro without playing, the Liverpool defender gave a really insufficient performance. investments. He leaves too much time for Tonali to equalize and leaves the field open to Frattesi for the second goal. Overall, he weakened the building through very approximate placements."

Eurosport France were a little kinder and believed Konate was a 4/10 performer as they gave the reasoning: We have known him to be much more thorough in his interventions and more concentrated in his investments. He leaves too much time for Tonali to equalize and leaves the field open to Frattesi for the second goal. Overall, he weakened the building through very approximate placements.

Maxifoot handed Konate a 3.5 and commented: preferred to Dayot Upamecano for this meeting, the central defender of the France team produced a disappointing performance. Caught on Frattesi's chance in the first half, the Liverpool player was sometimes late in his area. On his rare interventions, he was rather present and was precise in his restarts, despite long balls sometimes returned to the opponent. However, the Tricolore were behind on Frattesi's goal after the break

But Homme du Match were less impressed and dished out only a 3. It said “Failed return to selection for the Liverpool player. He is guilty of gross errors on numerous occasions, particularly on the first two goals. He was also unable to communicate with Clauss, which led to Italian domination on this axis of the field.”