Ahead of the clash, BVB calls for leniency for 18‑year‑old Karetsas

Before the Nations League second leg between Germany and Greece is played on Sunday, Borussia Dortmund has, according to a Sky report, asked for the sparing of Konstantinos Karetsas. The 18‑year‑old attacking midfielder is slated to feature in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen five days later. The request comes because the German national team wants to erase the 0‑1 defeat in Augsburg.

Request for sparing before Nations League duel

The Dortmund official contacted the Greek football association to secure a dosage of Karetsas. In the transfer news service of Transfermarkt, which also provides community and gaming recommendations, the request was published as part of the latest transfers. It was emphasized that the young player has only recently been in the squad and that excessive use could jeopardize the upcoming Bundesliga match.

Jovanovic emphasizes independent coaching decisions

At the press conference before the match, the 64‑year‑old coach Ivan Jovanovic said: “Since I have been the national coach here, there has not yet been any club in Europe that has demanded a special treatment from us. As long as I am the coach, there will also be no exception.” The Greek coach emphasized that he regularly communicates with the clubs and makes independent decisions.

Karetsas profile and deployment at BVB

Konstantinos Karetsas's market value is listed at €35.00 million, making him, after Christos Tzolis, the most valuable Greek. Only Vangelis Pavlidis, captain of Benfica, is level with a recent increase of €7 million. Dortmund plans to use him sparingly and with foresight, having already completed four of six appearances in the starting eleven.

In the duels against Serbia (2–1), Germany (1–0) and the Netherlands (2–2) he was in the starting eleven each time, while against the DFB selection he came on as a substitute. In Greece everyone assumes that he will start in the upcoming match, although Jovanovic has not yet disclosed a concrete deployment plan.

In September Karetsas fell to the ground in the Champions League match against FC Villarreal and was substituted due to alleged circulatory problems. His mother told the Belgian newspaper Het about dehydration, a claim that was withdrawn after numerous tests. Eleven days later he celebrated his comeback in the 1–0 victory over VfB Stuttgart.

This season Karetsas has made six appearances for Borussia Dortmund, four of them in the starting eleven, as well as three appearances for the Greek national team. The request for sparing highlights the balance between club and international duties that must be found before the decisive duel with the German DFB team.