Borussia Dortmund Request Limited Minutes for Konstantinos Karetsas with Greece National Team

Borussia Dortmund contacted the Hellenic Football Federation to request that 18-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas receive restricted playing time for the Greek national team, Sky Sports reported. The Bundesliga club intervened ahead of Greece’s Nations League match against Germany at Toumba Stadium, citing concerns over exhaustion after the player recently collapsed on the pitch against Villarreal due to feeling unwell.

Karetsas has started all three of Greece’s Nations League matches against Serbia, Germany, and the Netherlands, playing the full 90 minutes during the historic win over Germany. Following that heavy workload, Dortmund asked for the player to be used moderately so he can return to Germany without extra fatigue, keeping him fit for an upcoming match against Werder Bremen.

Dortmund Wants to Avoid Fatigue for Karetsas

Just weeks prior, Karetsas had to leave the field and collapsed during a Champions League match against Villarreal after feeling unwell. With Dortmund facing Werder Bremen just five days after Greece’s fixture against Germany, the German club wants to avoid excessive fatigue and ensure the player remains available and in good condition.

The Response from the National Team Camp

Despite the reports from Newsbomb regarding Dortmund’s outreach to the Greek federation, Greece head coach Ivan Jovanović stated during a press conference that no such request has been made by Borussia Dortmund regarding the 18-year-old player. Greece enters the upcoming fixture sitting at the top of their group, remaining undefeated against Germany, the Netherlands, and Serbia, leaving the final decision on Karetsas’s playing time unconfirmed by the national team management.