Loris Karius played his first game for Schalke 04. The goalkeeper saved the victory against Prussia Münster with spectacular parades – and gives the fans hope that the 31 -year -old could be the long -awaited solution as number one.
Such a player grape is not commonplace. And the furor who accompanied this jubilee had ear -deafening dimensions. Loris Karius was the one at that moment, shortly before the end of the game of FC Schalke 04 against Prussia Münster in the Gelsenkirchen arena.
With two spectacular parades within a moment, the goalkeeper saved the flattering 1-0 (0: 0) success of the royal blue – and gave his team air in the relegation battle in the 2nd Bundesliga. In any case, with his presence, his noticeable routine and his calmness, Karius had caused a defensive series for a long -term security for a long time.
The discussions about the right number one has always been present since the departure of Weiland Manuel Neuer to FC Bayern (in summer 2011). And this Friday evening (February 28, 2025) seemed to be the long -awaited day when a long -term solution seemed to be imposed. And that also radiated on the audience ranks.
Karius: “This is my job”
“This is incredible, that’s Champions League atmosphere”Karuis enthused in the stadium catacombs after the great excitement had subsided. The 31-year-old was undoubtedly the man of the hour at S04 with a considerable number of remarkable parades over the 90 minutes.
And the evening rounded off that he had achieved this extraordinary game in his debut for the Ruhr area club. “I’m just happy, it was a long time in which I didn’t play anymore”he said in a remarkably calm voice. “This is my job, I would be rather disappointed if I didn’t hold the balls.”
Gatekeeper in Liverpool
Karius career seems to take a positive turn again at the last moment. In fact, the last few years in Karius’ professional life were more like a search for the meaning of (goalkeeper) life. In the past five years, since the 2020/21 season, he had seven competitive operations at clubs like Union Berlin, Newcastle United and that Liverpool FC show.
The fact that Karius has an extraordinary talent has in the past not least with the “Reds“Showed in which he became a stammering goalkeeper under coach Jürgen Klopp in the years and into the Champions League-Finale came – which meant a blessing and curse for him.
Error devil in the final
In that final in 2018, the athletic crash of the goalkeeper began. With two capital errors, Karius made a significant contribution to the fact that real Madrid and not Liverpool could win the Henkelpott.
It was only after the final whistle that Karius suffered from the 51st minute from a concussion, which he had won with Sergio Ramos before the first goal.
Karius never seemed to recover this malus of the “error devil”, also because Klopp had dropped his goalkeeper. After that, he never seemed to gain a foothold again, drew attention to himself with his private life rather than with sporting performances. Most recently, Karius was even without a club when the Schalke contacted him last summer.
Schalke as an experiment
The obligation was primarily intended as an experiment. Karius should get back into shape and see if he can identify with the club, team and coaching team. Now he slipped into the Schalke Tor for the recently hapless Justin Heekeren.
“I’m emphatic, that is never easy, I have already had to experience it myself“, said Karuis with a view to his degraded colleagues and opponents.
Euphoria slowed down
Karius’ contract only runs until the end of the season. At the moment it looks like the obligation is a Win-win-Situation for players and clubs. “We still have to give him time to get really fit and to arrive here”Schalke coach Kees from Wonderen said on the later Friday evening, asked about possible early contract negotiations – and thus braked the spontaneously created euphoria around the goalkeeper.
The game against Münster may have been a first majority between the club and Karius. In the coming weeks, this process will continue with Karius as number one. So much is at least safe on the Berger Feld.