Merseyside Police are investigating death threats made against Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius. The 24-year-old has been subjected to vile abuse on social media after two costly mistakes in the Champions League final.
Image: Imago/MIS/B. Feil
Advertisement
Inconsolable following the final whistle in Kyiv after being at fault on two goals in Liverpool's 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in Saturday's Champions League final, goalkeeper Loris Karius was the tragic hero of a heartbreaking night.
His actions post match speak to the young German's character. Few professional footballers have ever gone on to provide such an honest and open appraisal of not just their individual performance, but their emotional state of mind.
"I'd just like to turn back time"
Karius faced the press after the game to own up to his catastrophic mistakes, but also took to social media following what is likely to be the most haunting night of his career to tell fans he was "infinitely sorry" for the part he played.
"Haven't really slept until now, the scenes are still running through my head again and again. I'm infinitely sorry to my teammates, for you fans and for all the staff. I know that I messed it up with the two mistakes and let you all down," Karius wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Two mistakes by Loris Karius were the difference in the Champions League finalImage: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
"As I said I'd just like to turn back the time but that's not possible. It's even worse as we all felt that we could have beaten Real Madrid and we were in the game for a long time.
"Thank you to our unbelievable fans who came to Kiev and held my back, even after the game. I don't take that for granted and once again it showed me what a big family we are. Thank you and we will come back stronger."
Support from all corners
The 24-year-old gifted Karius Real striker Karim Benzema the opener in before allowing Gareth Bale's speculative shot to slip through his grasp as Real won 3-1.
Head coach Jürgen Klopp and Karius' teammates refused to blame the goalkeeper though, as Liverpool sent a clear message of "we win as a team and lose as a team," in support of their devastated shot stopper.
"The second mistake is because of the first," Klopp said after the match. "It's really difficult to get rid of the bad thoughts in your mind. Loris knows it, everybody knows it. That is a shame in a game like this, in a season like this. I feel for him. He is a fantastic boy."
While most have rallied behind the 24-year-old, some fans were less forgiving, with Merseyside Police monitoring death threats made against Karius and his family.
"We take social media posts of this nature extremely seriously. Offences will be investigated," British media quoted Merseyside Police as saying on Sunday. "Officers are aware of a number of comments and threats made via social media."
"Merseyside Police would like to remind social media users than any offences including malicious communications and threatening behavior will be investigated."
jt/pfd (AFP, dpa, SID)
Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool: The key moments from the final
Real Madrid lift their 13th European Cup and their third in a row after victory over Liverpool. The game had moments of drama and brilliance as a dramatic final in Kyiv was won by Los Blancos. Here's how they did it.
Image: Reuters/H. McKay
The prize
This is what they're playing for: the European Cup, the greatest accolade in club football. Real Madrid are vying for their third in a row while Liverpool are chasing a sixth, having last lifted it in 2005 after a memorable comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul. It's been billed as the Mohamed Salah vs Cristiano Ronaldo final.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Fassbender
Salah's night ends early
A distraught Mo Salah, Liverpool's star man and leading scorer this season, is comforted by Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo as he leaves the Champions League final early. An ugly tangle with Sergio Ramos was to blame and Liverpool are dealt a huge early blow in Kyiv.
Image: Reuters/P. Noble
Carvajal also goes off
There were more tears when Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal is helped off the field. Like Salah, the Spain right back's World Cup is now in doubt after a bad-looking injury that saw him limp straight down the tunnel covering his face.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/E. Lukatsky
First blood to Real
Karim Benzema celebrates the opener for Real Madrid, which came soon after half time. It was a freak goal by the Frenchman, which came when Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius attempted a quick throw to his teammate. But Benzema was alert to it and stuck out a leg, and managed to deflect the ball straight into the bottom corner. Delight for Benzema, a nightmare for Karius.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
All square
Against the odds, Liverpool level the game through Sadio Mane. He times his lunge to perfection to toe Dejan Lovren's header from a corner beyond Keylor Navas in the Real Madrid goal. At 1-1, Liverpool were back in the game and an unlikely comeback is suddenly on the cards.
Image: Reuters/A. Boyers
Allez Allez Allez
The Liverpool fans, who outnumbered their Real Madrid counterparts at least two-to-one, are in fine voice again after Mane's strike. The songs 'Allez Allez Allez' and club anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' ring around the Olimpiyskiy Stadium as Liverpool try to mount a fightback.
Image: picture-alliance/M. Schrader
Bale wonderstrike
But Gareth Bale, a second half substitute for Isco, puts Real Madrid back in front with one of the most sensational goals ever seen in a Champions League or European Cup final. Out of nothing, the Welshman emulates his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo's strike in the quarterfinal against Juventus with an outlandish bicycle kick that turns the game back in Real's favor.
Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
Karius blunder again
Real Madrid are now 3-1 up and it's Bale again, but it's another depressing moment for Liverpool's German keeper Loris Karius. The former Mainz keeper takes his eye off the ball and lets Bale's shot, which was more or less straight at him, slip through his fingers and into the back of the net. A horrible moment for Karius on the biggest stage.
Image: Imago/VI Images/M. Steen
King Zizou
It's all over and Real Madrid are led to glory again by Zinedine Zidane, who becomes the first coach to win three consecutive Champions League titles. The hallmark of Zidane's success has been stability and continuity, with the Frenchman naming the exact same starting 11 as a year ago in Cardiff, where Real Madrid defeated Juventus.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/S.Grits
Lucky 13
Real Madrid lift their third consecutive European Cup to cap a period of European dominance not seen since Bayern Munich in the 1970s, who also won three in a row. It's the 13th time this famous club have won Europe's elite club prize and they will be heavy favorites to make it four next season.
