Football really is the most fickle of mistresses.
A week ago Liverpool fans were taking over the Twittersphere with a growing flock of Reds fanatics demanding the arrival of a £70 million-rated French defender in the new year.
And, no, we’re not talking about Dayot Upamecano.
While perhaps the most coveted young centre-half in the game was suffering a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Manchester United in late-October, compatriot Jules Kounde was adding to his growing reputation with a faultless defensive display in Sevilla’s 1-0 Champions League victory over Rennes.
According to 90Min, Kounde has been idenified by Liverpool as a potential replacement for the stricken Virgil van Dijk.
But on Wednesday night the Europa League winner produced a performance way below that expected of Jurgen Klopp’s totemic Dutchman.
Kounde gifted Krasnodar a two-goal lead at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after miscontrolling a ball inside his own penalty area and then clattering into veteran striker Marcus Berg.
And, with just 34 minutes on the clock, Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui channelled his inner-Mourinho and dragged the Paris-born powerhouse off the pitch, bringing a premature end to what was perhaps his worst display for the Spanish giants.
Sevilla showcased their remarkable powers of recovery to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win, however, thanks to Youssef El Nesyri’s match-winning brace.
Kounde owes his teammate an enormous debt of gratitude after a result that puts the Andalusians on the verge of the knock-out stages.
And while it would be wrong to go overboard after one nightmare night for a defender who has been almost perfect since joining Sevilla last year, Kounde can’t afford many more games like this if he wants to become Liverpool’s chosen one.
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