Borussia Dortmund released a statement addressing Konstantinos Karetsas' status after the player had to be stretchered off the field in the 26-27 UEFA Champions League debut. Konstantinos Karetsas was at the center of a concerning incident during the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League opening matchday, requiring a stretcher to leave the pitch due to a medical situation rather than a physical tackle. Following the alarming scene, Borussia Dortmund issued an official statement providing an update on the Greek international’s condition. With Dortmund hosting Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park, Karetsas was named to the starting lineup by head coach Niko Kovac before his abrupt exit in the opening half. The midfielder played a pass back toward his defense in the 23rd minute before immediately collapsing to the turf, prompting medical personnel to rush onto the field to evaluate him. Far from a structural or orthopedic issue, Karetsas motioned toward his abdominal region and was unable to walk off under his own power. After several minutes of evaluation on the pitch, the attacking midfielder was loaded onto a stretcher and removed in the 27th minute, raising immediate concern among supporters and staff regarding the underlying cause. While the match remained underway, Borussia Dortmund released a public statement addressing the player’s status: “Konstantinos Karetsas had to leave the field due to circulatory problems. Kosta is doing well under the circumstances and is on his way to the hospital for further tests.“ Konstantinos Karetsas had to leave the field due to circulatory problems. Kosta is doing well under the circumstances and is on his way to the hospital for further tests. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/WMYbxkdTEk— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) September 8, 2026 Prior to Tuesday’s scare, Karetsas had already drawn close monitoring from Dortmund’s medical staff. After starting in Saturday’s Bundesliga fixture against Hoffenheim, the 18-year-old missed Monday’s final pre-match training session leading up to the Villarreal clash due to fatigue symptoms. Despite the early disruption, Dortmund secured three points in their European opener with a 3-2 victory over Villarreal, highlighted by Serhou Guirassy converting an 85th-minute penalty before turning in a late 93rd-minute own goal. The German club will resume their Champions League schedule on October 14 against Bodo/Glimt, when medical staff hope to have Karetsas cleared for selection. Dortmund suffer setback from Greek duo Karetsas’ medical situation heightened anxiety across European soccer following recent heart-related scares across the continent, including Udinese’s Jakub Piotrowski and Napoli’s Scott McTominay undergoing cardiac ablation procedures for mild benign arrhythmia. While a full diagnosis for the midfielder remains pending, Dortmund face losing both members of their newly acquired Greek tandem in under a month. Back on August 29, during Dortmund’s Bundesliga opener against Hamburg, fellow Greek international Giannis Konstantelias suffered a major injury setback. The winger sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that will keep him sidelined for the majority of the 2026-27 campaign, leaving both of BVB’s marquee summer additions unavailable for the foreseeable future.
⚽ Champions League news from the 5.45pm BST kick-off⚽ Live scores | Follow us on Instagram | Read Football DailyHarry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice have been nominated for this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or while Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood have been nominated for the women’s award.The 30 men’s and 30 women’s nominees were revealed by France Football magazine on Tuesday, with the winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October. Ousmane Dembélé, who won the men’s award last year, has been nominated again, as has his France teammate Kylian Mbappé, who made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for all-time World Cup goals (22) at this summer’s tournament. Continue reading...
Eight-time laureate Lionel Messi is in the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé among the favourites to succeed France's Ousmane Dembélé. Cape Verde's Vozinha has been shortlisted for the goalkeepers' Yashin Trophy after his heroics at the recent World Cup.
When asked to name his top three candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele left out Lamine Yamal. Now, the Barcelona star has responded with a clear message that includes Kylian Mbappe. With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist finalized, several players have been asked to name their top candidates. After Ousmane Dembele left Lamine Yamal off his ballot, the Barcelona winger offered a swift response. On Tuesday, Dembele was asked to reveal his top three picks for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The PSG winger selected Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe. The omission of Yamal surprised many, including Yamal himself. Asked about Dembele’s picks a few hours later, the Barcelona star responded with a gentle jab aimed at Mbappe. “He is good friends with Kylian, right?” Yamal answered with a laugh. “I’m very happy with the season I had. I think every time we faced each other, I probably did something that made them dislike me! And that’s normal. My relationship with Ousmane is very good, and I understand that he wants to choose other players. But I’m very happy with what I delivered this year, and I’m confident that everyone watched it, even if he didn’t.” Lamine Yamal unfazed by individual awards With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist officially released—featuring Lionel Messi while omitting Cristiano Ronaldo—speculation has intensified over who will claim this year’s honor. Lionel Messi attends the 67th Ballon D’Or Ceremony Yamal is widely considered a frontrunner following a stellar season with FC Barcelona and a summer campaign that saw him lift the 2026 World Cup trophy with Spain at just 19 years old. Nevertheless, the young winger insists the outcome is out of his hands. “I’m not gonna campaign for anything. I won’t be begging to win anything… the Ballon d’Or is up to you [journalists], not me,” Yamal said. “We had a great year with Barça and the national team. That makes me proud.” Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe recently declared himself the favorite for the award on the back of his 10-goal performance at the World Cup, highlighting just how competitive this year’s race has become.
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