Karetsas nearly missed substitution for toilet break, then fired Dortmund to victory

18-year-old Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Constantinos Karetsas became the hero in the 4th round of the Champions League against Real Betis, though his appearance was almost ruined by an unusual incident. Around the 30th minute, with Serhou Guirassy injured, manager Niko Kovač called for a substitution but could not find the Greek talent on the bench.

Kovač had already signaled for Carney Chukwuemeka to prepare when Karetsas sprinted out from the tunnel just in time to enter the pitch in the 34th minute. Due to the haste, the youngster received no tactical instructions before joining the game.

To be honest, when I was called for the substitution, I had just come out of the toilet, so I didn't receive any instructions. My approach was just to get on the pitch, play, and react to the situation. Constantinos Karetsas

Niko Kovač confirmed the story with a smile, noting that if the player had stayed away for a moment longer, the substitution would have been canceled. The coach praised the player's movement and dribbling, highlighting his potential for a starting role in upcoming matches.

The match at Signal Iduna Park ended in a 2-1 victory for the hosts. After Fabio Silva opened the scoring, Aitor Ruibal equalized for Betis, before Karetsas scored the winner in the 72nd minute. This goal made him the youngest Greek player to score in the Champions League group stage. Karetsas remained humble, crediting his teammate Fabio Silva for the victory.