Ibrahima Konaté said Real Madrid must stay focused on RB Leipzig before Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig, while praising Jose Mourinho's authority inside the squad. Madrid go into the tie with a 100 per cent European record after wins over Inter Milan and Roma, and they are 8th in the Champions League with 6 points from 2 matches.

Mourinho's authority and Madrid's focus

"When Mourinho speaks, everyone listens. He’s a great coach and everyone knows we want to win with him," Konaté said, speaking to goal.com. He also said Madrid are under a bigger spotlight than he expected, with everything magnified and the club being discussed all over the world.

The point he kept returning to was the next match. In comments translated from Spanish by Estadio Deportivo, Konaté said Madrid must focus on Leipzig first because that is what helps them with the weekend match, and he added that the tie is important for the club's push to qualify for the top 8.

That is the practical line to take from his remarks. Madrid have scored in 44 consecutive Champions League games at the Santiago Bernabeu, and they arrive with 6 goals scored and 4 conceded across their 2 European matches this season.

Leipzig, the reunion and the threat ahead

Konaté's Leipzig return gives the tie a personal edge, because he made 66 appearances for the German club between 2017 and 2021. Even so, the bigger football question is how Leipzig cope with Madrid's pace in transition and with Kylian Mbappé, who has 2 goals in 2 Champions League appearances this season.

Martin Demichelis made that concern plain before the trip, saying Leipzig must hold onto the ball because Madrid create danger every time they counter-attack. He also pointed to Mbappé as the player who can punish even a small opening, and that fits the way Madrid are being viewed going into Wednesday night.

The standings back up Konaté's urgency. Leipzig sit 21st with 3 points from 2 matches, while Madrid are already in the top eight and can strengthen that position at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 8 outlets. How we work →