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Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius suffered a concussion in the Champions League final against Real Madrid that may have impacted his performance, Massachusetts General Hospital confirmed on Monday.
Karius, 24, made two crucial mistakes which contributed to Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory in Kiev, after the German goalkeeper was floored in a collision with Madrid’s Sergio Ramos while defending a corner prior to Madrid’s first goal early in the second half.
Liverpool’s medical team were concerned about the possibility of Karius suffering a concussion in the incident with Ramos, sources told ESPN FC, and their fears were confirmed in an examination carried out in the United States last Thursday — five days after the final.
“After carefully reviewing game film and integrating a detailed history — including his reported present and immediate post-contact subjective symptoms — physical examination and objective metrics, we have concluded that Mr. Karius sustained a concussion during the match,” Mass General said in a statement.
“At the time of our evaluation, Mr. Karius’s principal residual symptoms and objective signs suggested that visual spatial dysfunction existed and likely occurred immediately following the event. Additional symptomatic and objectively noted areas of dysfunction also persisted. It could be possible that such deficits would affect performance.”
Karius flew to the U.S. on holiday on his return to England, but with the club determined to safeguard the player’s well-being, he was sent to Boston to visit a specialist — Dr. Ross Zafonte — at Mass General on May 31 at the behest of the Anfield medical team, rather than at the request of the goalkeeper, a source said.
Zafonte is a leading authority on the treatment of NFL players who have suffered head trauma and Karius was sent to visit him following consultation with Liverpool’s Boston-based owners, Fenway Sports Group.
Karius, meanwhile, has remained in the U.S. for a holiday in California and will return to Liverpool for preseason training on July 2.
Liverpool declined to comment when contacted by ESPN FC.
Mark Ogden is a senior football writer for ESPN FC. Follow him @MarkOgden_
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