Konate Urges Real Madrid to Focus on RB Leipzig Before Clasico
Ibrahima Konate has urged Real Madrid to keep their attention on RB Leipzig before turning to the looming Clasico, with Jose Mourinho’s side chasing a third straight Champions League win on Wednesday night.
Madrid target perfect European start
Real have opened their Champions League campaign with victories over Inter Milan and Roma, leaving them on a 100 per cent record ahead of Matchday 3. Another win at the Santiago Bernabeu would strengthen their push for a place in the competition’s top eight.
The Spanish side also bring a formidable home scoring sequence into the match: Madrid have found the net in 44 consecutive Champions League fixtures at the Bernabeu.
Barcelona await in a major domestic meeting, but Konate made clear that the German visitors must come first. The France international said beating Leipzig would put Madrid in a better position heading into El Clasico.
Konate faces his former club
The fixture carries extra weight for Konate, who played 66 times for Leipzig from 2017 to 2021 before later joining Madrid. Yan Diomande, signed by Real in August, also arrived in the Spanish capital after leaving Leipzig.
Konate said his opening months at Madrid had surpassed his expectations, describing the scale of attention around the club as greater than he anticipated. He added that joining Los Blancos had long been a personal ambition.
The defender also highlighted Mourinho’s influence in the dressing room, saying the squad listens when the Portuguese coach speaks and is determined to win under him.
Key turning points before Wednesday
- Real Madrid beat Inter Milan in their opening Champions League match.
- Mourinho’s team followed that result by defeating Roma to reach six points from two games.
- Leipzig arrive after a 6-1 Bundesliga defeat to Bayern Munich.
- Madrid host Konate’s former side on Wednesday, before attention shifts towards Barcelona.
French core helps defender settle
Konate credited fellow French internationals Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Kylian Mbappe with helping him adapt following his arrival. He said their support had been important since he joined the club.
Leipzig seek response under Demichelis
Martin Demichelis takes Leipzig to Madrid looking for an immediate reaction after the damaging weekend loss to Bayern. The visitors now face a Madrid team with momentum in Europe, a lengthy Bernabeu scoring run and no intention of being distracted by the Clasico.
Key takeaways
- Real Madrid can make it three Champions League wins from three against Leipzig.
- Konate will meet the club he represented 66 times between 2017 and 2021.
- Madrid have scored in 44 successive Champions League home matches.
- Leipzig must recover from their 6-1 defeat against Bayern Munich.
- The Barcelona match is next, but Madrid’s immediate focus is Wednesday’s European fixture.
