Loris Karius’ Germany hopes grow as Jurgen Klopp faces a difficult goalkeeping call

Loris Karius has revived his career at Schalke and is being discussed as a possible Germany international, just as former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp begins his first spell in charge of the national team.

The 33-year-old goalkeeper’s return to prominence comes after several years in which his career appeared to be in steep decline. It also brings back memories of the most difficult night of his professional life, when two costly mistakes in the 2018 Champions League final helped Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1.

Karius was visibly distraught after the match, crying on the pitch and apologising to Liverpool supporters. Medical tests carried out several days later revealed that he had suffered a concussion during the game. Klopp subsequently said the injury may have affected the goalkeeper’s performance in the final.

The aftermath had a significant impact on Karius’ career. His opportunities at Liverpool diminished further following the arrival of Alisson, and he subsequently endured a series of loan spells and trials without finding the consistency or stability he needed.

That situation has changed since he joined Schalke. Karius played an important role in the team that secured a return to the Bundesliga and was one of the club’s leading performers.

Last season, he kept 13 clean sheets in 30 matches. Schalke conceded only 31 goals over the campaign, giving them the best defensive record in the second tier of German football.

Karius has continued that form at the start of the current season. He made 14 saves during the opening two rounds before producing another strong display against Bayern Munich, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.

He was particularly impressive against Harry Kane, making several important saves to deny the England captain and earning widespread praise for his performance.

His resurgence has coincided with Klopp’s appointment as Germany manager. Klopp knows Karius well after signing him for Liverpool in 2016 and initially making him the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. He was also alongside him during the 2018 Champions League final and witnessed the difficult period that followed.

Karius has yet to play for Germany’s senior side, but former Germany goalkeepers Oliver Kahn and Roman Weidenfeller believe a call-up is now a realistic possibility. Schalke sporting director Youri Mulder went further after the Bayern match, saying Karius’ display had reached international standard.

The goalkeeper will face strong competition if he is to make the squad. Manuel Neuer’s international retirement has left Germany without an undisputed number one, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Alexander Nubel and Oliver Baumann remain established options.

There are also several promising younger goalkeepers competing for recognition, including Jonas Urbig and Noah Atubolu.

Even so, the lack of a clearly settled first-choice goalkeeper gives Karius a genuine opportunity, according to a report published by Tribuna.

For Klopp, the decision would carry an added layer of history. He could be asked to select the same goalkeeper whose errors contributed to one of Liverpool’s most painful defeats, giving Karius the chance to begin a very different chapter with Germany.

The question is whether Klopp will trust the goalkeeper who became a symbol of Liverpool’s nightmare in a famous Champions League final and help him write a new ending to a story that began with a career-defining disaster.