Thursday 31 May 2018 09:14, UK
Dietmar Hamann has questioned Loris Karius' behaviour after Liverpool's Champions League final defeat, and claimed the goalkeeper's ego is far greater than the level of his performances.
Karius made two costly mistakes as Liverpool lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev on Saturday, leaving the German in tears after full-time as he gestured apologetically towards supporters in the stadium.
But Hamann, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, admits he has little sympathy for Karius, calling the goalkeeper's emotions after the final whistle "unnecessary".
"My sympathy with Karius is limited," Hamann told Sport Bild. "We don't have to discuss that he decided the final with his two mistakes. Something like that can also happen to a professional footballer. But what I didn't like was his behaviour afterwards.
"To publicly show his suffering after the final whistle was just as unnecessary as his tearful asking for forgiveness from the Reds fans."
Hamann went on to suggest that Karius' ego exceeds his performances, and took a dig at his alleged personalised number plate - highlighting that is something Cristiano Ronaldo could get away with given his success in the Champions League.
"Liverpool fans forgive their stars just as well as any other, the anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is part of life out at the club," Hamann added.
"With one exception: when your ego doesn't match your performance. Karius drives through Liverpool with the personalised number plates 'LK1' and makes waves in the city whenever he steps out.
"That is something Cristiano Ronaldo can pull off in Madrid, because he has won the Champions League five times.
"Someone like Karius has not achieved anything yet in his career and should be happy to have been given the chance by Klopp at a world-class club."
