Karetsas Taken to Hospital After Dortmund’s Win at Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas was taken to hospital for further examinations after suffering circulatory problems during Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League win away to Villarreal.
Match and player update
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Villarreal 2-3 Borussia Dortmund |
| Incident | Karetsas left during his Champions League debut with circulatory problems |
| Score at substitution | 0-0 |
| Key scorer | Serhou Guirassy scored twice in his 100th Dortmund appearance |
The 18-year-old, making his first appearance in Europe’s leading club competition, had just completed a straightforward pass when he began to struggle. He alerted the referee, sat on the pitch and was subsequently withdrawn as medical concern spread around the stadium.
Dortmund confirmed that Karetsas had been affected by circulatory issues and was travelling to hospital for tests. The club said the midfielder was doing as well as could be expected in the circumstances.
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel said the squad’s thoughts were immediately with Karetsas after the final whistle. He said he hoped the teenager was alright and would soon be fit enough to rejoin his team-mates.
Karetsas joined Dortmund from Genk during the summer for €30 million, a deal valued at £25.7 million and $34.9 million. The former Belgium youth international arrived alongside Greece international Giannis Konstantelias, who cost €26 million from PAOK, equivalent to £22.3 million or $30.2 million.
Both were recruited as major young additions for Dortmund’s domestic and European programme, but the club’s new signings have endured a difficult opening period. Konstantelias sustained a serious ACL injury on his Bundesliga debut last month, with the setback expected to rule him out for the rest of the season.
Niko Kovac must therefore contend with fresh uncertainty over Karetsas while managing a demanding run of Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures.
Dortmund nevertheless recovered from the disruption in Spain. The contest was scoreless when Karetsas departed before opening up later, and Guirassy’s late double secured the 3-2 result. The striker’s goals, scored in his 100th outing for the club, also moved him beyond Robert Lewandowski’s Dortmund tally.
The win strengthens Dortmund’s Champions League position, although the immediate priority remains Karetsas’ condition and the outcome of his hospital checks.
