Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius suffered concussion after a clash with Sergio Ramos which may have contributed to his calamitous performance in the Champions League final.
It was reported in Germany yesterday he had suffered a blackout and that 26 of his 30 tests subsequently confirmed he had experienced a concussion, after medical tests and a scan in America.
It prompted Massachusetts General to release a statement last night.
The incident with Real Madrid’s Ramos occurred two minutes before the first of his monumental errors.
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius sustained concussion in the Champions League final
German television unearthed footage of the stopper being floored by Sergio Ramos
Karius hit the deck after the collision and shouted at the referee for not spotting it
The German keeper bowled the ball into Karim Benzema’s legs for the opener in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid in Kiev and allowed Gareth Bale’s shot from 30 yards to slip through his hands for the third goal.
However, two minutes before the first mistake, Karius appeared to be elbowed in the head by Ramos, who had collided with Virgil van Dijk as they challenged for a Madrid corner. Karius was heard on television screaming as he went down.
He got up to remonstrate with the assistant referee by his goal but did not receive any treatment from Liverpool’s medical staff on the pitch.
Liverpool fan groups were last night calling for a replay of the final, following the revelations.
Karius was emotionally shattered after the game and walked out of the stadium without aid.
But it has now emerged that Liverpool’s medical staff were so concerned about his condition they sent him to Boston to see a specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The 24-year-old, who is on holiday in the US, saw Dr Ross Zafonte, a leading authority on treating American Football players who have suffered head traumas, following talks with Fenway Sports Group — Liverpool’s Boston-based owners.
Massachusetts General released a statement last night, which read: ‘With Mr Karius’s permission, we are providing information about his medical situation in an effort to prevent, where possible, the dissemination of incomplete or erroneous information.
Karius watches on after throwing the ball straight into the path of Karim Benzema to score
The 24-year-old allows Gareth Bale’s long range strike to slip through his hands
Ramos had earlier collided with Mohamed Salah, ending the Egyptian’s involvement
‘After carefully reviewing game film and integrating a detailed history, physical examination and objective metrics, we have concluded that Mr Karius sustained a concussion during the match.’
Crucially, the hospital added: ‘Mr Karius’s principal residual symptoms and objective signs suggested that visual spatial disfunction existed and likely occurred immediately following the event. It could be possible that such deficits would affect performance.’
In the first half, a challenge from Ramos curtailed the involvement of Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah. The Egypt international was taken off in tears after 30 minutes with a shoulder injury which could still keep him out of the World Cup.
Liverpool would offer no comment on the matter but it is expected that Karius will return to pre-season training on July 2, with the rest of Liverpool’s non-World Cup players.
The club, meanwhile, have escaped with a £17,567 fine for disturbances at the Champions League quarter-final first leg with Manchester City, including an attack on City’s team bus.