A Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal was interrupted by a scare on Tuesday night when 18-year-old Greek midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas suddenly stopped playing and collapsed on the field.
The incident happened around the 26th minute of the first half at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund’s home stadium in Germany. Karetsas signaled to medical staff before lying down on the pitch, alarming teammates, opponents and fans alike. Medical personnel attended to him quickly, and he was carried off on a stretcher as players from both teams applauded in a show of support. Dortmund’s coaching staff made an emergency substitution, bringing on young English prospect Ethan Nwaneri to fill the gap in midfield.
Shortly afterward, Borussia Dortmund released an official statement explaining that Karetsas had to leave the match “due to circulatory problems” and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. The club said the player was doing well “under the circumstances” and was undergoing additional tests to determine what caused the episode.
Karetsas, considered one of the club’s rising talents, had been steadily earning a bigger role in the first team this season thanks to his composure and skill in midfield. He will remain under medical observation until doctors clear him to return to full training and competition.
You can read the original report, in Spanish, at eltiempo.com.
Source: Alarma en la Champions League: jugador del Borussia Dortmund sufre colapso circulatorio en pleno partido (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: mill56, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).