Borussia Dortmund midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas returned to team training on Wednesday, a little over a week after collapsing during the Champions League win over Villarreal.
Key takeaways
- The 18-year-old completed his first session with the squad after individual work earlier in the week.
- Karetsas was taken to hospital after feeling unwell in Dortmund’s 3-2 victory over Villarreal on 8 September.
- Dehydration was reported as a factor, although Dortmund did not provide a detailed diagnosis.
- The Greece international joined Dortmund from Genk for €30 million in August.
- His availability for Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Stuttgart has not been confirmed.
Return after Villarreal incident
Karetsas had passed the ball during his Champions League debut at Signal Iduna Park before signalling to the referee that he was unwell. He then sat on the pitch and left on a stretcher in tears amid concern over circulation problems.
He spent much of the following week in hospital. Dortmund said there had been no warning signs before the incident. Sporting director Ole Book said the midfielder was unable to speak properly as he was escorted from the field.
Karetsas later attended Dortmund’s 3-0 win over Paderborn on Saturday and supported his teammates from the stands.
Player says tests were clear
During a visit to former club Genk, Karetsas said he was feeling well after medical checks. “All the tests have been done and everything is fine,” he said in a video posted on Monday. “I only need to adapt a little to the intensity. That will come with time.”
Born in Belgium, Karetsas represents Greece internationally. Dortmund have not stated whether he will be involved when Stuttgart visit in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
