In a matter of minutes, Giannis Konstantelias went from the “heaven” of jubilation over his first goal with Dortmund to the the “hell” of anxiety over a potentially serious injury. The 23-year-old star left the field injured in the second half of the match against Hamburg (2-0) and there is serious concern about a cruciate ligament injury; the MRI results are expected today, and everyone is hoping for the best possible outcome.
The outlook, however, is not very optimistic, as both the team’s coach, Niko Kovac, and Borussia’s two top executives confirmed after the match. Sports director Ole Bock emphasized: “We have to be careful about what we announce today. We’re concerned that it might be a more serious injury. There are concerns about a torn anterior cruciate ligament. I felt incredibly sorry for the kid. When you play so well for a half, score a goal, and then have to be substituted due to injury, it’s frustrating. A lot of things go through your mind.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The German club’s general manager and former star player, Lars Ricken, echoed those sentiments. “We’re waiting for the test results on Sunday and hoping for the best. But I have to be honest—in reality, we’re afraid of the worst!” he said. When asked whether a transfer would be considered in the event of an injury, he replied: “Depending on how serious the injury is, we’ll discuss it. But at least for the next three days, we haven’t planned anything.”
*photo source: AP
