Liverpool goalkeeper coach compares Champions League finals: ‘Tough for Karius, f**king great for Alisson’

Karius made two glaring errors 12 months ago as Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in the 2017-18 final, and was replaced by Alisson over the summer transfer window in a £66m move from Roma

Liverpool’s goalkeeper coach said winning the Champions League was “f**king great” for Alisson Becker a year on from Loris Karius’s disastrous night in Kiev.

Karius made two glaring errors 12 months ago as Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in the 2017-18 final, and was replaced by Alisson over the summer transfer window in a £66m move from Roma.

Alisson has been exceptional, playing a crucial part in Liverpool’s second-place finish in the Premier League while making several saves to ensure they kept a clean sheet in Saturday night’s Champions League final.

“That’s football,” said John Achterberg, Liverpool’s Dutch goalkeeping coach, in the wake of their triumph in Madrid, when asked to reflect on the contrasting emotions of the two. “It’s tough for the one and f**king great for the other, it’s true.”

Achterberg believes Alisson is now one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

“There are always things he can improve but the level he has produced this season is probably one of the best in the world. He showed it today. He needs to keep driving this to make sure he gets the recognition from everyone. He has had an amazing season to break the record for clean sheets. What can you say?

“We bought an expensive goalie but he paid it back with the trophy, he had a big hand in it any way. But the whole team worked their balls off the whole season overall.”