LIVERPOOL

season. Karius, who Klopp signed from Mainz two years ago this week, made enough mistakes to fail to force his way in front of Mignolet for the first half of the season and it was only the Belgian’s errors which saw him take the gloves.

Even in this competition he has not been bombproof. In the semi-final first leg against Roma at Anfield, Karius had flapped similarly at a long-range shot from Aleksandar Kolarov, only to be saved by the bar.

Liverpool have had moments of luck on the pitch during this Champions League campaign if little with injuries and, after a very bright start in which they pinned Real Madrid back, the departure of Salah, wrestled to the ground by Sergio Ramos, who should have been booked for the challenge, proved pivotal. Up until then Liverpool had occupied Marcelo defensively even when the Egyptian did not have the ball yet without him the Brazil full-back was able to push forward.

Liverpool, having reached the break goalless, the first of Karius’s blunders gave Real the lead after his underarm throw to Trent Alexander-Arnold hit Karim Benzema’s outstretched boot, the ball rebounding into the net from 15 yards out.

Sadio Mane, who along with Andy Robertson and Dejan Lovren, probably saved his best performances for the final, levelled four minutes later, turning in Lovren’s powerful goalbound header from a corner. And while Bale’s introduction produced the

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