Real Madrid's best signing of the season is no longer a debate
Real Madrid were outstanding in their 2-1 win over Barcelona on Sunday, and there were a number of briliant performers on the night. No fan expected a win against their team's arch-rivals at all, because of the way Barcelona have been playing this season, and the inconsistencies that Real Madrid have shown as well.
However, when it mattered, Real Madrid were brilliant. They were never going to be possession-heavy or better than their arch-rivals on the ball, but they did everything else perfectly, and it worked out well.
Four of Real Madrid's new signings of the season started against Barcelona in Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella, and it is fair to say that all of them were somewhere between good to great at Camp Nou.
Despite Cucurella and Diomande putting in huge performances against the Catalans, Konate was an absolute rock at the back for Real Madrid, and he might just be the team's best signing of the season.
Real Madrid seem to have struck gold with Konate, signing him for free after his contract with Liverpool expired earlier this summer.
Real Madrid's best defender this season has been Ibrahima Konate by far
Playing him consistently alongside Dean Huijsen has made up a formidable central defense partnership at the club, and Konate is proving to be Real Madrid's most conssitently good player. He was incredible against Barcelona, but not just that - every single game he has played this season has been good.
You can say Cucurella was also huge against Lamine Yamal and co., but Konate's consistency and reliability are two key characteristics Real Madrid desperately needed in the heart of defense, and he is able to give that in every single game.
There have been games where Diomande has outshone Konate and other Real Madrid signings this season, but Konate, on a consistent basis, has been Real Madrid's best and most impressive newcoming this season, and that is not up for debate.
All of his weaknesses from last season have gone away, and it seems like the Frenchman saved the best for last - putting in a defensive masterclass against Barcelona on Sunday. It is great to see a Real Madrid defender play the way Konate played, and it will give him even more confidence to continue like this going forward.
Cucurella's hype will be talked about more after the Clasico, and Diomande's goals, assists and dribbles will be on every highlight reel under the sun, but Konate's rock-solid foundation has done wonders for Real Madrid, and there is no debate there.
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