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As the tears flowed inside the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Loris Karius must have feared that his Liverpool career was over.

His Champions League final dream had turned into a nightmare. His two calamitous errors had gift-wrapped the trophy for Real Madrid.

“I’m infinitely sorry to my team-mates, for you fans, and for all the staff,” he posted on social media.

“I know that I messed it up with the two mistakes and let you all down. I’d just like to turn back the time but that’s not possible.”

The jury was already out on the German keeper and after such a high-profile meltdown there was a clamour for Jurgen Klopp to wield the axe. A new No 1 shot to the top of most Kopites' summer wish-list.

Six weeks on from that heartbreaking night in Kiev, Karius is preparing to return to action for Liverpool in Saturday's opening friendly of the summer against Chester FC.

Rather than being shoved aside, the 25-year-old is being rehabilitated and handed a shot at redemption.

“We start completely new,” Klopp assured Karius at Melwood this week.

The Reds boss is convinced that concussion was to blame for the keeper's inexplicable blunders in Kiev.

“We don’t use it as an excuse, we use it as an explanation,” he told Liverpoolfc.com

In the immediate aftermath of the final there was no suggestion that a blow to the head from Sergio Ramos when the game was still goalless had contributed to the meltdown that followed.

Bizarrely, Klopp revealed that it was four days after Kiev that he took a call from the legendary Franz Beckenbauer, who alerted him to the possibility that Karius had been concussed after speaking to “the most famous doctor in Germany”.

By then a distraught Karius had flown to America on holiday. After Liverpool reviewed the footage, Karius was advised to visit specialists Dr Ross Zafonte and Dr Lenore Herget at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital.

Brain scans showed that Karius had 'visual spatial dysfunction' which can result in an inability to judge where objects are. “Loris had 26 of 30 markers for a concussion still,” Klopp said.

Was that the reason why he rolled the ball out against the outstretched leg of Karim Benzema for the opening goal and then allowed a long-range strike from Gareth Bale to squirm through his grasp to seal the Reds' fate?

(Image: FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

“He was influenced by that knock, that is 100%,” Klopp insisted. “What the rest of the world is making of it, I don’t care. For me, it is 100% the explanation.”

Some are bound to be sceptical. Despite the weight of medical evidence, some won't be shifted from their belief that it's simply a lame excuse for a woeful performance.

Absolving Karius of any blame for such a crushing defeat certainly lifts some of the pressure on his shoulders post-Kiev. Klopp's public show of faith will be the perfect pick-me-up for the former Mainz shot-stopper as he targets a fresh start.

Nobody deserves to be written off on the basis of one game, no matter what the magnitude of the occasion and the prize at stake.

But the reason why Klopp's decision to stick by Karius will divide opinion among supporters goes way beyond the events of the final.

Karius made promising strides forward after being restored as Liverpool No 1 midway through last season. He did look more commanding and confident.

But aside from Kiev, there were other alarming mistakes along the way – not least in the quarter-final against Manchester City and the semi-final against Roma.

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At the time the Reds' thrilling progress ensured they weren't dwelt on.

The reason why so many fans wanted Liverpool to make a statement of intent by spending big on a new No 1 this summer wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to Kiev.

It was simply the belief that if Klopp's side are serious about making the leap from challengers to champions they need an elite level keeper.

Karius is still young in keeping terms but isn't in the same class as the likes of David de Gea, Thibaut Courtois or Ederson.

Of course Klopp's words only tell half the story. Liverpool's recruitment staff haven't buried their heads in the sand and the manager hasn't blindly backed Karius this summer.

(Image: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)

Behind the scenes efforts have been made but prising top target Alisson away from Roma has so far proved difficult.

Klopp won't buy for the sake of it, he only wants a significant upgrade. That's why available alternatives such as Jasper Cillessen, Jack Butland, Nick Pope and Thomas Strakosha have so far been ruled out.

Recent history has shown that Klopp is prepared to wait for what he wants.

It means that in the short-term at least Karius remains the man in possession of the No 1 jersey. Now it's down to him to repay his manager for an opportunity it didn't look like he would get when those tears were flowing in Kiev.