“MagiKos is home”: BVB star Karetsas feted after scare | OneFootball

After the scare in the Champions League, Konstantinos Karetsas experienced an emotional return to Genk. At his former club, the BVB youngster was loudly celebrated by the fans.

After the turbulent past few days, Konstantinos Karetsas experienced a special moment. The 18-year-old returned to KRC Genk on Sunday — and was given a rousing reception by the supporters at his former club. On the occasion of the match against KAA Gent (1:1), the current Borussia Dortmund professional stepped onto the pitch of his old sporting home once again.

Karetsas, who was responsible for the ceremonial kickoff, appeared in a Genk shirt. There were chants and standing ovations from the stands. His former club also celebrated the visit, writing on Instagram: “MagiKos is home.” For Karetsas, the circle was temporarily complete. The Greek international was born in Genk and went through the crucial part of his football development at the Belgian club.

That was also where he eventually made his breakthrough at professional level. In the summer, BVB secured his services for a base fee of 30 million euros. As a result, Karetsas became the second-most expensive departure in Genk’s club history. On the sporting side, the youngster was able to make an early impression in Dortmund. Under Niko Kovac, he was a regular starter in the early phase of the season.

BVB hopes for Karetsas’ quick return

However, an incident in the Champions League recently pushed football into the background. In the 3:2 win against FC Villarreal, Karetsas collapsed on the pitch in the 27th minute without any contact from an opponent. After receiving initial treatment, he was taken away and then underwent extensive examinations in hospital. Medical tests showed “no abnormalities.”

Photo: IMAGO

What caused the collapse is still not clearly known. Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, Karetsas’ mother suggested dehydration as a possible factor. BVB managing director Lars Ricken was more cautious in his comments to DAZN: “Maybe it’s a combination of several factors. In the end, we don’t know, because we don’t have any really hard facts.”

Karetsas was still unavailable against SC Paderborn and watched the 3:0 win from the stands. However, Dortmund may not have to do without him much longer: Kovac has already suggested a return for the upcoming Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.