“Awful” Real Madrid target “makes a mistake in every game” as Carragher blasts Liverpool defender

Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Champions League are hanging by a thread after they were beaten 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the quarterfinals. Head coach Arne Slot unexpectedly fielded a three-man central defense at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, a strategy former Reds defender Jamie Carragher criticized in his role as a pundit for CBS. Carragher also took aim at Ibrahima Konaté, who has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer.

Carragher says Slot “massively wrong” on tactics

For Carragher, Slot got his tactics “massively wrong,” with Virgil van Dijk, playing in the middle of the back three, left exposed by Konaté and Joe Gomez continually shuffling wide or into midfield.

“They were actually more open with the back five than they would be with a back four because they went man-to-man all over the pitch and the three center backs had to cover the width of the pitch,” Carragher explained.

“Defenders were jumping into midfield, there was no one to mark and Virgil van Dijk, at 34 years of age, was having to run in there and across. He couldn’t do it.”

“Awful” Konaté slammed, Van Dijk defended by Carragher

But the 48-year-old saved his most scathing criticism for Konaté, who he feels must take some of the blame for Van Dijk’s drop in form in recent months.

“People have criticised Van Dijk for his performances this season, but I think it’s been harsh. He plays every game, and the fella next to him has been awful all season — and poor again tonight. Konaté makes a mistake every game, so that’s not easy to play alongside.”

Konaté’s Liverpool future under scrutiny as Madrid wait

Konaté’s Liverpool contract expires in June and he has reportedly rejected the Premier League club’s attempts to open talks as he weighs his options. The France international is said to be keen on the possibility of a move to Real Madrid, who have long tracked Konaté as a potential signing target.

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