Konstantinos Karetsas Injured During Borussia Dortmund's Dramatic Win
Konstantinos Karetsas left the pitch on a stretcher on a worrying night for Borussia Dortmund, overshadowing a dramatic 3-2 UEFA Champions League win over Villarreal.
The 18-year-old went down midway through the first half after releasing a pass, immediately signalling to the bench before collapsing to the turf. Medical staff rushed on and worked on him for several minutes, concentrating on his upper body as a quiet unease spread around the stadium.
He was eventually carried off on a stretcher and taken straight down the tunnel, with Ethan Nwaneri coming on in the 27th minute.
Dortmund later confirmed the change was “due to circulation problems” and that Karetsas had been taken to hospital for further examinations. The club added that he “is doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances,” offering a measure of relief but few concrete details.
The incident came after a slightly disrupted buildup for the teenager. Karetsas had not taken part in full training with the main group the day before the game, instead working in the gym. Head coach Niko Kovač played down any concern in his pre-match press conference, describing it as a normal variation in workload, with one or two players sometimes kept inside for tailored sessions.
Karetsas only arrived at Dortmund in the summer from Genk, part of a double move that also brought in compatriot Giannis Konstantelias. The club’s plans for their new Belgian-Greek duo have already been hit hard: Konstantelias suffered an ACL tear in late August, forcing Dortmund into the market to bring in Nwaneri on loan from Arsenal.
On the night, the team found a way to respond. A second-half brace from Serhou Guirassy turned a tight contest on its head and drove Dortmund to a 3-2 victory over the La Liga side, a result that will matter in the group — but the lasting image is likely to be Karetsas on the stretcher, and the wait to learn how serious this setback will be for one of their most intriguing young arrivals.
