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.
Despite being named among the substitutes in each of Milan’s opening three Serie A matches, Pulisic has watched every minute from the bench as the new coach searches for the right balance in attack. Christian Pulisic’s frustration at Milan is growing, while Ruben Amorim continues to face questions over why the USMNT star has yet to make his season debut. Despite being named among the substitutes in each of Milan’s opening three Serie A matches, Pulisic has watched every minute from the bench as the new coach searches for the right balance in attack. The situation became even more surprising on Sunday night, when Milan faced Juventus in one of the biggest fixtures of the opening weeks. Pulisic had been expected to finally receive some playing time, but the 27-year-old once again remained an unused substitute. The American has now been called up for three consecutive Serie A matches without making a single appearance, despite returning to group training in August. Milan began the campaign with wins over Torino and Venezia before drawing 1-1 with Juventus, but the American has remained on the sidelines throughout. His absence has become increasingly noticeable because Milan still needs greater quality in the final third. Alphadjo Cisse has stepped into the role instead and has made an immediate impression, scoring against Torino and Juventus while quickly becoming one of Amorim’s preferred attacking options. The 19-year-old’s emergence has certainly complicated Pulisic’s route back into the starting lineup. Cisse has already scored twice in three matches, including Milan’s opener against Juventus, making it increasingly difficult for Amorim to justify changing a combination that is producing results. Ruben Amorim explains why Pulisic is still waiting The explanation finally came after the Juventus draw, when Amorim was asked directly about Pulisic’s continued absence. The Portuguese coach made it clear that there is a specific reason behind the decision, although he also suggested that Cisse’s current form is playing a role. “Pulisic is back from injury, I’m managing him. For now, Alpha [Cisse] is taking his place,” Amorim said in his post-match press conference, as relayed by MilanNews. Amorim expanded on his approach when discussing his substitutions and the condition of several players: “We’re still managing the minutes of some players and trying to win the match. Sometimes it’s not just the technical and tactical aspects, it’s also the physical aspect.” Christian Pulisic’s minutes played for Milan The injury that has complicated Pulisic’s return Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture in his right tibia and fibula during the United States’ World Cup campaign, an injury that forced him to miss a significant portion of Milan’s preseason preparations. He returned to group training on August 21, but that did not immediately convince the coaching staff that he was ready for competitive action. The timing of his comeback also explains some of Milan’s caution. Pulisic had missed the club’s summer tour and only returned to full training shortly before the start of the Serie A season, leaving Amorim with a decision over whether to introduce him gradually or risk pushing him back too quickly. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts There is also a broader injury history behind the caution. Pulisic has dealt with several physical problems over the past year, including an ankle sprain, hamstring injury, bursitis and a gluteal issue, meaning the club has little incentive to rush one of its most important attacking players back onto the field. While Pulisic’s fitness remains the main factor, Cisse’s performances have given Amorim another reason to stay patient. The teenager has adapted quickly to the demands of first-team soccer and has shown the kind of attacking instinct that has made him difficult to remove from the lineup.
VfB Stuttgart attacker Bilal El Khannouss has been linked with a move away from the German club. According to reports from Fussball Daten, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Crystal Palace are monitoring the former Leicester City star. It remains to be seen whether they are prepared to make an official approach in the coming […] The post Tottenham join four-way race for€55 million-rated Bundesliga star appeared first on CaughtOffside.
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