Dortmund’s 3-2 victory over Villarreal in the season opener of the Champions League took a back seat, as everyone’s attention turned to Konstantinos Karetsas and the dramatic moment when the Greek soccer player was carried off the field on a stretcher.
The incident occurred in the first half when Karetsas, after receiving a low pass, raised his arm and shortly afterward sat down on the grass, without any apparent collision having taken place. The medical staff immediately entered the field, and the Greek star was carried off the field on a stretcher, visibly emotional and with tears in his eyes, amid the applause of the fans.
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Initial reports from Dortmund suggest a sudden circulatory problem, with the club’s sporting director, Lars Ricken, clarifying that there had been no prior signs foreshadowing the incident. Karetsas was taken to the hospital, where he is undergoing tests to rule out any serious complications.
“We’ll have to wait and see what the next few days bring,” Ricken said, admitting that he, too, was shocked by the scenes that unfolded on the field.
Even greater concern was raised by the revelations of Ole Bock, who accompanied Karetsa as he left the field. As he pointed out, at that moment, the Greek international was unable to communicate normally.
“I walked off the field with him, but at that moment he was essentially unable to speak. We hope he gets better very soon and that it’s nothing serious,” he said, adding that the incident happened completely out of the blue.
At the same time, he ruled out the possibility that Karetsa’s illness was related to a training session he had missed earlier in the week, explaining that he had been dealing with a different issue at that time. However, even after the match ended, Dortmund officials had not received any new updates from the medical tests.
*photo source: AP
