German reunion! Ex-Leipzig pair Konate and Diomande set to haunt former club as Mourinho aims for perfection

Real Madrid defender Ibrahima Konate represented the squad at Ciudad Real Madrid on Tuesday ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash against RB Leipzig. Jose Mourinho's side enter Matchday 3 seeking to maintain their 100 per cent European record following earlier wins over Inter Milan and Roma.

The encounter carries deep personal significance for Konate, who made 66 appearances for Leipzig between 2017 and 2021 before arriving in Spain.

"Tomorrow is a very special match for me because I will play against my former club," Konate stated. "I am very happy to see my former team-mates, and we are eager to win tomorrow and be in a good position among the top eight."

Konate expressed delight over his initial months in Madrid, highlighting the club's global stature, his partnership with 19-year-old Yan Diomande, and the imposing presence of head coach Jose Mourinho. "It’s more than I expected—the media, everything is magnified much more," Konate noted. "For me, it’s the best team in the world."

Praising former Leipzig colleague Diomande, Konate added: "He has great talent... He works very hard every day, and I can’t think of why he won’t succeed at this team in the future."

On Mourinho's impact, Konate revealed: "He has an impressive aura that not all coaches have. Of course, when he speaks, everyone listens and respects him in the dressing room."

With a marquee domestic clash against Barcelona looming, Konate insisted Los Blancos cannot afford to lose focus on European duties. "It’s very important to focus only on the next match," Konate asserted. "If we win tomorrow, it will help us play better in El Clasico, but if we only focus on El Clasico, we won’t be prepared for tomorrow."

Konate also credited Madrid's French contingent—Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Kylian Mbappe, and Ferland Mendy—for accelerating his adaptation.

"I’ve been very fortunate to share with Tchouameni and Mbappe," he explained. "They already told me a lot about the club... My only dream here is to achieve success."

Backed by an exceptional home record of scoring in 44 consecutive Champions League games at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid aim to consolidate their position in the top eight.

Opponents Leipzig travel to Spain seeking redemption under Martin Demichelis after enduring a heavy 6-1 domestic loss to Bayern Munich over the weekend and losing their last six European away matches.

Konate, Diomande, and Real Madrid host the German side on Wednesday night, aiming for three vital points before turning their attention to El Clasico.