Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has revealed the passing of his father Hamady in a poignant message shared on Instagram this afternoon.
The 26-year-old French defender was notably absent from the Reds' Champions League triumph against Marseille on Wednesday evening, with the club confirming he had returned to his homeland to attend to a family matter.
Konate, a practising Muslim, accompanied the announcement with the words: "To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return."
The news explains his unexpected withdrawal from Arne Slot's squad for the European fixture at Anfield, where Liverpool secured victory without their first-choice defender.
Ibrahima Konate revealed the heartbreaking news that his father has died
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The funeral prayer, known as Salat al-Janazah, will take place tomorrow following Friday prayers, according to the defender's social media announcement.
In his Instagram post, Konate shared a hadith from Islamic tradition, writing: "The Messenger of Allah said: There is no deceased person for whom a group of Muslims, numbering one hundred, pray, all supplicating for him, without their requests (for the deceased) being accepted."
The ceremony is scheduled to be held after Jumu'ah, the weekly congregational prayer observed by Muslims on Fridays.
Konate's message reflected his deep faith during this difficult period for his family.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot addressed his defender's absence during his post-match interview with TNT Sports, expressing sympathy for the situation.
Ibrahima Konate took to social media to announce the death of his father
|"First of all, for the family matter, why he is not here, it is very sad for him," the Dutch head coach remarked following the final whistle.
Slot also acknowledged the tactical implications of losing his preferred centre-back partnership, noting that he has predominantly selected Konate alongside Virgil van Dijk this season.
Joe Gomez deputised in central defence against the French visitors, with Slot observing that the England international has featured sparingly during his eighteen months in charge at Anfield.
The defender has frequently spoken about the profound influence his father had on his footballing journey.
Speaking to French media last year, Konate recalled the advice Hamady gave him when he departed for Sochaux's academy at just fifteen years of age: "Become someone good."
Arne Slot revealed that Ibrahima Konate was missing from the squad to face Marseille due to a family issue
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Three years later, upon leaving the academy, a supervisor named Farid sent him a message that deeply moved the young player, praising him as unique in twenty years of working in football.
"I took a screenshot and kept it because I knew I had fulfilled the mission my father gave me," Konate reflected.
His former Sochaux coach Eric Hely previously told ESPN that the defender possessed remarkable natural ability and physical attributes, but emphasised his willingness to listen and work diligently.
"He didn't want to let anyone down, especially his father," Hely observed. "Now he deserves everything he is getting."