Nightmare in Kiev! Heartbreak for Liverpool as Real Madrid win Champions League final 3-1 after blundering goalkeeper Loris Karius’ two embarrassing errors and Gareth Bale’s spectacular overhead kick
Liverpool fans were left devastated last night as two horrendous goalkeeping errors by Loris Karius gifted Real Madrid a 3-1 victory.
In the first half, Liverpool’s talisman striker Mohammed Salah went off injured after 30 minutes following a challenge by Madrid’s skipper Sergio Ramos.
Karius gifted Madrid their first goal after throwing the ball directly into the path of Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
Sadio Mane equalised four minutes later, but Gareth Bale restored the Madrid lead with a spectacular overhead kick, with little over half an hour remaining.
With five minutes left on the clock, Karius made a second blunder, this time from Bale, by palming the Welsh wizard’s long range shot into the back of his own net.
Twitter was merciless with its criticism of the young keeper.
The match, which is the highlight of the European club football season is taking place in Kiev’s Shevchenko Park.
Karius arrived at Liverpool from Mainz in 2016 and endured some difficult moments early in his spell at the club as he made some high-profile mistakes.
The 24-year-old has shown some significant signs of improvement this season and firmly established himself as Jurgen Klopp’s first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Simon Mignolet.
However, Karius’ major error on the biggest stage in club football certainly won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp defended his young keeper following the game: ‘It’s really hard, I really feel for him, nobody wants that. The mistakes were obvious, we don’t have to talk about that, it’s all clear. he knows it, I know it, you all know it. He has to deal with it, we have to deal with it, we will do that.’
On BT Sport, Steven Gerrard admitted: ‘No it wasn’t (to be). And you’ve got to feel for the Liverpool players in general because the performance was good. Individual players have played really well tonight and they’ve been done by two individual mistakes.
‘Obviously Salah going off was pivotal because the opening stages of this game were dominated by Liverpool.
‘Zidane again gets the big decisions right by bringing Bale on. The goal he scores is phenomenal – out of this world.
‘But the talking points will be the keeper’s mistakes.’
A Liverpool fan weeps by himself outside the stadium following his team’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid this evening
While former Chelsea player Frank Lampard felt sympathy for the Liverpool keeper: ‘On I human level… absolute sadness with him. That’s for life now.
‘Mistakes like that are not for this level. In Champions League finals, they shouldn’t be happening.
‘Both of them – particularly the first one which kind of changes the momentum of the game – I can’t believe what I’ve seen.
‘It’s a horrible, horrible moment for him. I’m feeling sorry for him and he needs some big support from his team-mates and everyone around him. No matter what his future is.
‘He didn’t mean that but it has cost them the game.’
Salah, who had scored 10 goals in the competition before tonight landed awkwardly following a challenge with Madrid’s Sergio Ramos.
Liverpool fans held their heads in their hands in the stand while the physio treated him on the pitch, although within moments it was clear the Egyptian striker could not continue.