Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 6y

Liverpool's Loris Karius difficult to console after Champions League final - Simon Mignolet

KIEV, Ukraine -- Simon Mignolet and Dejan Lovren both leapt to the defence of Loris Karius after the goalkeeper's mistakes in Liverpool's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

Karius, 24-year-old was in tears at the final whistle after his attempted roll-out in the 51st minute struck Karim Benzema and ended up in the back of the net before he failed to deal with Gareth Bale's long-range shot seven minutes from time.

Mignolet lost his place as Liverpool's No. 1 to Karius at the turn of the year, but stood by his teammate and offered his support.

"Every goalkeeper can relate to him," he told reporters. "I've been in this situation before and every keeper has been.

"It's very difficult to say something to someone after the game. The only thing I told him is that there is a reason we got to this final, and why we played this final so I said think about that.

"But of course it is very difficult to say anything to him and to let him grasp it. I know how it is. You need a bit of time. The good thing about this final is that he will have the summer to take it and go forward. If he wants to talk then of course I will be there.

"I've been in this situation before myself and those kind of things you deal with yourself. I'm always there to help every squad member.

"We have a dressing room is that very much together and that's the reason why we got here. Together with the fans, together with the rest of the club.

"I think we play, not as individuals, but as a team, we play as 11 together. We play as a whole squad. Everyone was behind the team from the very first moment we stepped into the Champions League and I think that will be the same going forward.

"Liverpool stands for unity, Liverpool stands for all together. I think that will not only be the right ideal for Liverpool, it has always been their history and will always be their future."

Lovren, meanwhile, did not blame Karius for the defeat and he is confident the German has the mental resilience to bounce back from this devastating blow, having already overcome hurdles in his two seasons at Liverpool.

"When we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together," he told reporters. "So don't blame him. It's easy to blame someone, but we are in the same ship together and everyone gave him the best words that they could.

"He will come back strong. You cannot find the words. He had a difficult start last season, so I believe in him. Don't make massive stories about that. Of course it's big because it's a final, but everyone makes mistakes."

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