For Loris Karius, it’s the start of what promises to be a very long summer.A day won’t go by over the next two-and-a-half months when the 24-year-old doesn’t inadvertently cast his mind back to that ill-fated night in Kiev.Unlike some of his teammates, he doesn’t have the World Cup to focus on. But that might not be such a bad thing after his harrowing ordeal in the Champions League final on Saturday night.You’d need a heart of stone - like Tony Bellew, for example - not to feel some degree of sympathy towards the young keeper.In the biggest match of his career so far, he cost his team by making two catastrophic mistakes, both of which led to goals for Real Madrid.The images of Karius in tears after the final whistle, offering his sincerest apologies to the club’s travelling supporters, will be broadcast in years - even decades - to come.To his credit, he’s held his hands up and shouldered the blame for his team’s defeat. He knew the outcome might have been very different had he played better on the night.
Eric Bailly sends message to Karius
He will be immensely appreciative of all the support that he’s received from his teammates and fellow professionals - take note, Jermaine Pennant - over the past few days.
He’s even received a message of support from a Manchester United player.
Replying to Karius’s Instagram message, Eric Bailly briefly put club rivalries to one side to wish his fellow professional all the best.
“Stay strong Loris,” he wrote, “you are a good [goalkeeper]”.
How United fans have reacted
Although Man Utd fans are laughing at the defender’s spelling, most of them are perfectly fine with him offering a message of support to a Liverpool player on this occasion.
Hopefully Liverpool supporters will also appreciate Bailly’s admirable gesture.
It’s safe to assume that other rival players would also have wanted to send Karius a message of support but probably feared a backlash.
Bailly, however, can do whatever he feels like and United fans will still love him thanks to his cult-hero status at Old Trafford.