'World's best' Alisson: The goalkeeper who transformed Liverpool

LONDON: Jurgen Klopp surveyed the wreckage of Liverpool's 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid and responded with a transformative swoop for Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Without Alisson's prodigious contributions to the Liverpool cause, including a vital goal last season, Klopp's side would not be preparing for Saturday's (May 28) revenge mission against the Spanish champions in Paris.

Liverpool's agonising loss to Real four years ago was an especially bitter pill for Klopp to swallow as his hand-picked keeper, Loris Karius, was largely to blame for the 3-1 defeat.

Klopp signed Karius from Mainz and made him first choice ahead of Simon Mignolet, but the German never convinced and his Champions League meltdown in Kiev proved the final straw.

Minutes after half-time, with the score at 0-0, Karius inexplicably threw the ball against Karim Benzema and watched helplessly as the ball rolled behind him into the empty net.

Liverpool were still in the game at 2-1 down with seven minutes left, but Karius then fumbled Gareth Bale's long-range shot into the net to seal Real's victory.

Just weeks later, Klopp signed Alisson from Roma for a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper of around £67 million (US$84 million).

While Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have been Liverpool's most influential stars in the Klopp era, Alisson's impact cannot be understated.

Goalkeepers have always been revered at Liverpool, with a mural for 1970s great Ray Clemence adorning a house wall near Anfield.

Alisson, 29, deserves to be ranked among Liverpool's all-time greats between the posts and Klopp has no doubts about his quality.

"Alisson Becker is the best goalkeeper in the world for me," the Liverpool boss said earlier this season. "There are