‘I was pretty much retired’ – Ex-Liverpool ace thought his career was over after leaving Anfield

One former Liverpool player felt that he was ‘pretty much retired’ after leaving Anfield, but has since gone on to have quite the redemption arc.

For Reds fans, the 2018 Champions League final will be remembered for two things – Sergio Ramos’ despicable hatchet job on Mo Salah, and two grievous errors by Loris Karius in our 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid.

The goalkeeper never played for LFC again after that fateful night in Kyiv, with loan moves to Besiktas and Union Berlin in subsequent seasons before his official departure upon the expiry of his contract in June 2022.

Karius felt he was ‘pretty much retired’ after leaving Liverpool

Now starring for Schalke 04 in the German second tier, Karius has recounted how he feared that his footballing career was over after being told by Jurgen Klopp four years ago that he had no future at Anfield.

In an interview with The Independent, the 32-year-old said of that fallow period: “I was retired, because I didn’t do anything for seven months. It sounds dramatic. In my mind, I was pretty much retired.”

However, he refused to wallow in self-pity upon being cast aside at Liverpool, reflecting: “It was not the worst six months. I still enjoyed myself. I spent a lot of time with my family, I did a lot of travelling, a lot of things that normally you can’t do when you’re in your everyday routine.

“Obviously I was still eager to play football, but I didn’t want to do anything I was not 100% behind.”

Karius is now enjoying a major redemption arc at Schalke

Karius spent a couple of seasons at Newcastle between 2022 and 2024 before joining Schalke, where his fortunes have been transformed.

The German has been ever-present for his side in 2.Bundesliga this season, with as many clean sheets (10) as goals conceded in 18 matches for the Gelsenkirchen giants, who are four points clear at the top of the table.

After the hell he went through in the months and years post-Kyiv, it’s brilliant to see the 32-year-old now enjoying one of the best periods of his career, particularly when – by his own admission – it seemed four years ago that his days as a professional footballer were numbered.

Amid all the criticism and abuse levelled at him externally after that Champions League final, Karius’ teammates and coaching staff at Liverpool always had his back, with that unwavering support no doubt meaning the world to the goalkeeper when he was at his lowest ebb.

If our former no.1 helps Schalke back into the Bundesliga and latterly into Europe, he’ll be all the more glad that he didn’t retire after his time at Anfield came to an end!

You can watch Slot’s full pre-Marseille press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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