Konstantinos Karetsas was carried off on a stretcher in the 23rd minute of Borussia Dortmund's Champions League opener against Villarreal after suffering circulatory problems at Signal Iduna Park. The Greek winger collapsed without any contact from an opponent, immediately raising concerns among the German club's medical staff and supporters watching the fixture unfold.
Karetsas had been performing normally moments before the incident, completing a routine dribble and delivering a pass before suddenly sitting down on the turf. Club icon Mats Hummels, commenting on the broadcast, expressed shock at how the medical team focused solely on the player's upper body rather than his legs. "Those are really horrible scenes we had to see there," Hummels said, emphasizing the severity of the moment. The 23-year-old was subsequently transported to hospital for further examination, with Dortmund confirming he was doing "as well as can be expected in the circumstances."
Mounting Defensive Concerns for Dortmund
Karetsas's injury compounds an already troubling situation for head coach Niko Kovac's squad. Greek midfielder Giannis Konstantelias, another recent signing, suffered a torn cruciate ligament during his Bundesliga debut against Hamburger SV and faces an extended absence. To address this gap, Dortmund hastily brought in Ethan Nwaneri on loan from Arsenal, who was deployed as Karetsas's replacement on Tuesday evening.
The injury list extends beyond attacking options. Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, and Filippo Mane all required substitution during the Villarreal clash, straining Dortmund's defensive resources. Ramy Bensebaini remains sidelined with a chest contusion and is additionally unavailable due to suspension—serving a ban following his second yellow card dismissal in February's Atalanta Bergamo defeat (1-4). This convergence of fitness concerns threatens to derail Dortmund's European campaign at a critical juncture.
Further medical assessment of Karetsas will determine the extent of his injury and potential recovery timeline. For now, Dortmund must navigate their Champions League group stage with a depleted squad and hope that additional complications do not emerge in the coming weeks.
