Konaté: This is my only dream, and everything related to Real Madrid is being exaggerated

French player Konaté has spoken about Real Madrid's preparations for their upcoming match against RB Leipzig, scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, as part of the third round of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League.

The French star said: "It is a very special match for me, as I will play against my former team. I am very happy to see them, and we have a strong desire to win and achieve victory in the first three matches, in order to secure a good position among the top eight in the UEFA Champions League standings. We know that finishing the league stage in the top eight is very difficult, but we have a good chance of achieving that."

Reflecting on his first experience at Real Madrid, the French player said: "Things have been great since I joined here. Everyone helps me a lot, and I haven't faced any issues adapting. Everyone who works at the club makes me feel comfortable and happy. The most important thing for me is to achieve titles and successes with this club. The level is extremely high, and I hope to win many trophies during this season and for the rest of my time here."

Regarding the controversy surrounding the wearing of Ceuta support shirts during Real Madrid's match against Elche, Konaté said: "Honestly, I didn't fully understand what was written on the shirt, and I don't want to talk about this topic right now. After that match, I learned everything that happened in Ceuta, and I can understand both sides' perspectives."

He added: "I come from France, but my parents are from Africa, and there are many people living the same situation. There are aspects of history we can agree on, and others we may disagree on, but I don't think we should do bad things in any country."

He continued: "In that situation, I didn't know what the shirt was referring to, and I didn't know exactly what I was supposed to do. I need to focus on football, and it's not necessary for me to talk about this topic. I came here to play football, and I think it wasn't as important as it has been talked about."

Regarding the level of media attention that Real Madrid receives, the French player explained: "It's bigger than I expected. The media and everything related to the club is greatly amplified. Everyone is talking about us all over the world, but I am very happy about that. I have always dreamed of playing for this club, and for me, it is the best team in the world, which is why everyone will talk about it and the club. I don't follow social media much, and I don't know everything that is said about us. We can read a lot of things in the media, but I try to stay a bit away from that side."

Ibrahima Konaté addressed the Negreira case and refereeing decisions, stating: "It is true that we have not been very lucky at the start of the season. I have read some things related to the Negreira case, but I am here to play football. Everyone who works at this club should think the same way, that is, football; I need to focus on my daily work and concentrate on it on the pitch, and try to deliver a competitive level that helps us win the UEFA Champions League. It is also true that we have not been very lucky with some refereeing decisions."

Speaking about his teammate Diomandé, Konaté said: "He has a huge amount of talent, even though he is only nineteen years old. He already has amazing potential and works very hard day by day, and I see no reason why he shouldn't succeed with this team in the future. He is a great person alongside being a special player. I am very happy with what he has shown in recent matches, and he is also happy with what is happening."

Regarding the controversy surrounding the clash with Aurier during the Sevilla match, the French player said: "Honestly, I haven't seen those comments. Did you see the clip? What do you think about it? If you think it's not a foul, then it's over. I won't say it's a foul. For me, it wasn't a foul, and that's clear."

Regarding the importance of focusing on the RB Leipzig match before the Clasico, Konaté said: "I believe, based on my experience, that it is very important to focus only on the next match. If we win tomorrow, it will give us a boost that helps us approach the Clasico better, but if we focus only on the Clasico, we will not be prepared for tomorrow's match, and we will likely not win it, and we will not reach the next match with the right mentality."

He added: "It is natural to think about the clásico, but the priority is to focus on tomorrow's match, because we want to win the UEFA Champions League this year. We also want to give our all in the rest of the competitions. We will do our best tomorrow, and after the match, we will start thinking about the clásico."

Regarding the classification that Carlo Ancelotti used to distinguish between optimistic and pessimistic defenders, Ibrahima Konaté said: "I am an optimistic defender."

Regarding his relationship with manager José Mourinho, Konaté said: "He hasn't told me anything specific; he is preparing and focusing on one thing, which is to win every match. We haven't specifically talked about winning the UEFA Champions League or LaLiga."

He added: "We know that the ceiling of ambitions at Real Madrid is very high, and that we have to compete for all titles. Mourinho has a unique aura and personality that not all coaches possess. And of course, when he speaks, everyone listens to him and respects him in the dressing room. He is a great coach, and everyone knows we want to win with him."

Regarding his relationship with the French players at Real Madrid, Konaté said: "I was very lucky to be alongside Tchouaméni and Mbappé. They talked to me a lot about the club, so I knew a lot of things when I arrived. They helped me a lot to adapt to this club, and I am very happy to be with them, as they are both wonderful people."

He concluded by saying: "My only dream here is to achieve successes and titles, and I also hope that Mendy can recover and return to play, because he is a great player and we need him too."