Karius' redemption 8 years later: First man to stop Bayern in 14 months

Following their merciless start to the new season, with two wins against Stuttgart and Osnabruck and a combined goal difference of 9-2, few could have expected Bayern Munich to slip up against Bundesliga newcomers Schalke 04. Truth be told, the Gelsenkirchen club is still among Germany's giants despite its recent struggles, but it is far from the Bavarians' level. Either way, Schalke held firm. Vincent Kompany's men were below par, and their forwards were misfiring - all of that holds true. However, the Royal Blues' defence should get credit for keeping a clean sheet against the mighty opponent, while the man between the posts, Loris Karius, deserved to be specifically highlighted and praised. The man whose career was marked by a tragic night in Kyiv eight years ago, when he handed Real Madrid two goals on a plate and cost Liverpool a 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final. It took him time to recover from such a blow. Spells at Besiktas, Union Berlin, and Newcastle did little to help. And then, in July 2025, a fallen giant took a fallen goalkeeper under its wing, and they started doing outstanding things together. Football always gives you another chance. 🥹🧤 Eight years after a Champions League final that defined Loris Karius' career for all the wrong reasons, the German goalkeeper is writing a very different story at Schalke. Today, he produced a Man of the Match performance against… pic.twitter.com/VVteCxh88H — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) September 6, 2026 Schalke won the Bundesliga 2 and returned to the top flight after a three-year absence, with Karius one of the key figures in their achievement and the leader of the best defence in the league. Their season opener last week didn't go well, as they were smashed 3-0 away by Augsburg - the current league leaders! But two days ago, in a derby against Bayern, Karius and Co. did a magnificent job, salvaging a goalless draw. The 33-year-old made five saves and prevented 1.07 goals according to the advanced metrics, but that's just the tip of the iceberg... Loris Karius has rebuilt his career at Schalke and was unbeatable last night against Bayern Munich 🛑 Boss to see 👏 pic.twitter.com/chbYLA2CDz — The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) September 6, 2026 For the first time since July 5, 2025 and a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals, the Munich powerhouse failed to score! For 58 straight games - or 14 months, if you wish - they had been a nightmare for the opposing defences, and then the Royal Blue stepped onto the stage. They held firm and pulled off an extraordinary feat. Fallen giants and fallen goalkeeper are now enjoying a renaissance - and they have fully deserved it.