Loris Karius sets Bundesliga saves record after overcoming struggles

German goalkeeper Loris Karius has made a remarkable comeback in his football career, setting a new record for the most saves in the Bundesliga, overcoming the setbacks of his previous stint with Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final.

Karius, 33, told Funke newspaper that the mistakes he made during Liverpool's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kyiv led to a severe psychological breakdown. He was responsible for Karim Benzema's opening goal and mishandled Gareth Bale's shot, contributing to Liverpool's loss.

Karius added: "Until that moment, my career was on a rapid rise, then I suffered a sharp collapse and completely hit rock bottom," noting that he lost his passion for the game for a long time and no longer wanted to train or play.

In 2024, Karius found himself without a club and close to retirement. He explained: "In the summer, I didn't receive any suitable offers, and by October, I had accepted that I would not get any more opportunities."

Strong comeback with Schalke

After short spells with Union Berlin and Newcastle, Karius rebuilt his career at Schalke. He kept 13 clean sheets in 30 matches, helping the team climb to 11th place in the league standings.

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Karius recorded the highest number of saves (23) in the Bundesliga, surpassing Borussia Mönchengladbach's Moritz Nicolas (22 saves). According to Opta statistics, Karius also prevented the most expected goals, conceding only four times when he was expected to let in 8.6 goals.