Loris Karius: "My good performances were forgotten in Germany"
New Union Berlin goalkeeper Loris Karius believes his positive exploits in Germany have been forgotten since his move to Liverpool and has stated his Bundesliga return is about proving his ability yet again.
Karius has joined Union on a season-long loan from the English champions, having spent the last two years with Besiktas in Turkey. Speaking at his unveiling after four years away, the 27-year-old said, "The good performances I showed have been somewhat forgotten in Germany. That's a shame.
"My goal is to prove myself here again. I was gone for four years. My drive is to show again that I'm still a really good Bundesliga goalkeeper."
Watch: Will Christmas come early for Union with Karius?
A former VfB Stuttgart and Manchester City academy player, his senior breakthrough came with Mainz. After becoming the club's youngest Bundesliga goalkeeper at 19 years and five months in December 2012, he established himself as first choice early in the 2013/14 campaign under Thomas Tuchel.
Over the following two seasons, he missed just one league game, keeping 20 clean sheets in 67 appearances, and being named the Bundesliga's second-best goalkeeper kicker’s annual player poll for 2015/16. He then signed for Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool as a 22-year-old.
However, Karius still faces criticism for two high-profile mistakes he made for the Merseysiders in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid, despite later being diagnosed with concussion from a collision with Sergio Ramos during the game.
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"That was two years ago. I've played over 60 matches since," he responded to questions of that night in Kiev. "I'm here to play well. That doesn't play a role anymore - I long put it behind me. The only people who want to talk about it are the journalists. It's boring for me now.
"I've gained the sort of experience few have at my age, taken it all on board, positive and negative, and have come out stronger. I think some things, particularly here in Germany, were and are still taken too negatively."
Karius also felt that Klopp was always "fair and honest" with him and that the former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund coach had recommended the move to Union as a "chance to distinguish myself and show everyone I'm a really good goalkeeper.
Watch: Karius’ Cruyff turn
"I don't see a future for myself at Liverpool now and didn't want to just sit on the bench. The Bundesliga has always appealed to me as a German. And then achieving something with Union, with a team that’s young, hungry and in a similar situation to what I know from Mainz… It all convinced and appealed to me."
Having played in a friendly against Hannover during the international break, Karius is competing alongside Andreas Luthe for the number one spot at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei. He could make his competitive debut for Die Eisernen when they take on Schalke on Sunday.
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