Former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius has spoken about the significant mental and professional toll his errors in the 2018 Champions League final took on his career. Karius described the period following Liverpool's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid as hitting "rock bottom."
During the match, Karius made two critical mistakes. He gave the ball to Karim Benzema, who scored into an empty net, and later fumbled a Gareth Bale strike, which ultimately sealed Real Madrid's victory. These errors marked the end of his tenure at Liverpool and cast a long shadow over his subsequent career.
"Up until that point, my career had been on a steep upward trajectory, then I suddenly crashed – all the way to rock bottom,” Karius told the Funke Media Group. "It was extremely tough, partly because, in my mid-twenties at the time, I wasn't as grounded as I am now. And quite honestly, during that period I lost my love for football. I no longer wanted to train, I no longer wanted to play."
Karius admitted that he struggled to go to work and simply tried to get through each day. Despite the difficulties, he has since found a measure of redemption.
Last season, Karius helped his current club, Schalke, secure promotion back to the top tier of German football. He maintained 13 clean sheets and conceded only 24 goals in 30 matches in the second Bundesliga division.
Reflecting on his experiences, Karius emphasized the importance of perspective, reminding himself of the privilege of playing in front of large crowds. "Who else can say they play in front of 60,000 fans every other week? Only absolute superstars in the music industry can achieve that – you have to keep reminding yourself of that."
Karius' revelations come after his wife, DAZN TV presenter Diletta Leotta, publicly praised his resilience. Following Schalke's promotion, she shared on Instagram that sport "can be tough, sometimes ruthless. [It] exposes you, tests you, makes you fall in front of everyone. But if you find the strength to stay, to believe again, sooner or later it brings you back exactly where you deserve to be."
She added, "I have seen that strength up close. In the silences, in the difficult moments, on the days when it would have been easier to give up. And today it's not just a victory. It's a revival. It's love for what you do. That's courage. Proud of you."
After leaving Liverpool, Karius had spells at Union Berlin and Newcastle United before finding his current form with Schalke.