Ibrahima Konate was handed 'big fine' by Liverpool after careless mistake

Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konate was handed "big fine" after making a careless mistake and the Reds certainly made him pay for it 'big' time

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has revealed that he once picked up a "big fine" for forgetting his passport — a mistake that he won't make again.

Konate is expected to start as Liverpool takes on Sunderland in the Premier League today, and he has been performing better of late. The Frenchman is set to line up alongside Virgil van Dijk at the Stadium of Light as the Reds look to close the gap to Manchester United and Chelsea, who slipped up earlier in the week.

"I forgot my passport one time," Konate said in a video for Liverpool's official channels, revealing that the incident happened last season. "Big, big, big fine!"

Answering various questions, Konate said he likes to sit next to Ryan Gravenberch or Cody Gakpo when the team flies to away fixtures.

"I'm a big fan of Japan," he said when asked where he most liked to visit for football reasons. "I'm a big fan of anime. I'm a big fan of wagyu beef as well.

"The beef was so good. One bite and I said, 'No, I cannot eat any more'. It was too good. When it's too good, I don't want to eat it anymore."

Konate started Liverpool's first six Champions League games this season but was given leave for the final two following the death of his father.

Liverpool is attempting to finish ahead of at least one of either Manchester United or Chelsea in the Premier League standings to qualify for UEFA's top competition next season.

Manchester United could only draw with West Ham on Tuesday, while Chelsea let a 2-0 lead slip against Leeds United at Stamford Bridge, meaning there is a chance for Liverpool to make up some ground against Sunderland.

"If we don’t have Champions League football, it’s definitely not been an acceptable season," Arne Slot said ahead of his side taking on Sunderland.

"When I arrived here, we could only sign Federico Chiesa and that was after a Europa League season. That does have an enormous impact on the way this club is run, that is clear. We are completely aware."

Slot was also quizzed on whether or not failing to qualify for the Champions League could see him get fired.

"That is a difficult question for me to answer because I don’t decide on my future," the Dutchman said. "The only thing I do know is that it happened before, and recently, and it didn’t affect the future of that manager. But that doesn’t guarantee anything of course.

"Maybe somewhere else it is not only about results, but mainly. And at some clubs they also look at the progress the players make, the progress the team makes, the circumstances are sometimes taken into account.

"That is not at all clubs but I think I am working at a club that does look at those things. As it has shown that in the past when the club did not qualify for the Champions League."