German press drop Ethan Nwaneri after bizarre card mix‑up

Ethan Nwaneri, the 19‑year‑old Arsenal loanee at Borussia Dortmund, saw German media drop their verdict on his form after a bizarre refereeing episode that saw a red card mistakenly shown and then rescinded within seconds of kickoff.

Career path and media background

Before his move to Germany, Nwaneri’s story was chronicled by a writer who began as a freelance for This Is Futbol, later joining FootballFanCast and eventually becoming a social media editor. He now works as an editor for GiveMeSport, focusing on the Premier League, Champions League and English football, while also covering key events such as the summer and winter Olympics.

The former Arsenal and Three Lions fan, who grew up in New Zealand watching the All Blacks, made his Premier League debut at 15 years and 181 days, prompting high expectations for the English youngster.

Bundesliga debut and the non‑red card

After a loan spell at Marseille in the second half of the 2025/26 season, Nwaneri arrived at Dortmund for the current campaign and impressed on debut, forcing an own goal in a comeback win over Hoffenheim. In his latest appearance he started against Union Berlin, only to be involved in a chaotic challenge with Tom Rothe after 17 seconds.

Referee Daniel Schlager initially reached for a red card, but quickly realised he had taken the wrong card from his pocket. The red was cancelled and Nwaneri received a yellow booking instead, allowing him to stay on the pitch until he was substituted just past the hour mark. The match ended 0‑0, leaving Dortmund level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Gnabry celebrates 100th Bundesliga goal, Bayern Munich beat Freiburg

Media reaction to the incident

German outlets seized on the oddity. described the tackle as “brutal”, noting the referee’s confusion and the early cautions handed to Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy. Ruhr Nachrichten gave Nwaneri a 5/10 rating, highlighting the mistaken red card in the first minute and his failure to capitalise on Dortmund’s best chance. also referenced the “bizarre scene”, adding that Union Berlin’s defensive solidity limited clear scoring opportunities.

Last week the local press had already discussed another refereeing decision involving Nwaneri, when a spectacular bicycle‑kick goal against Werder Bremen was ruled out by VAR. The cumulative scrutiny has contributed to the German media’s decision to drop their earlier positive verdict on his performances.

Despite the controversy, Dortmund’s aggressive start – described as “nothing short of explosive” – did not translate into goals, and the visitors failed to break down Union’s defence.

As the season progresses, Nwaneri remains under pressure to prove his worth after being brought in as an immediate replacement for the injured Giannis Konstantelias. His next appearances will determine whether the German press will revisit their assessment.