Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has revealed how teenage sensation Konstantinos Karetsas almost missed the opportunity to become his side’s Champions League hero after disappearing to the toilet moments before he was due to enter the pitch.

The 18-year-old eventually came off the bench to score the decisive goal in Dortmund’s 2-1 victory over Real Betis on Wednesday, but his introduction nearly never happened.

According to GOAL, Kovac had decided to introduce the Greek international after Serhou Guirassy suffered a thigh problem in the 34th minute.

However, when the Dortmund boss looked towards his substitutes, Karetsas was nowhere to be found.

The youngster had briefly left the bench to use the toilet, leaving Kovac with little choice but to consider another replacement.

The Croatian tactician was preparing to introduce Carney Chukwuemeka before Karetsas returned just in time.

Following the encounter, Kovac explained that the teenager’s absence had almost cost him the opportunity to feature.

What Kovac Said

“I wanted to sub him in and he wasn’t there,” Kovac revealed in his interview with DAZN.

“He was on the toilet. When I wanted to bring on Carney instead, he just came around the corner and was therefore there in time. So if he had still been in the toilet, he wouldn’t have been able to come in.”

Fortunately for the youngster, his timely return proved decisive as he went on to make a significant contribution.

With the scores level at 1-1 in the 72nd minute, Karetsas received a pass from Fabio Silva before shifting the ball onto his left foot and firing into the bottom corner.

The goal secured all three points for Dortmund and capped an impressive performance from the Greek midfielder.

Karetsas Difficult Start To Life In Dortmund

It was also a memorable moment for Karetsas, who has endured a difficult start to life in Germany following his €30 million move from Genk.

Earlier in the campaign, the teenager collapsed during Dortmund’s Champions League encounter against Villarreal and was subsequently taken to hospital for medical examinations.

Although tests revealed no serious abnormalities, he later suffered a ligament injury against Union Berlin, further disrupting his progress.

With Guirassy facing a possible spell on the sidelines, Karetsas could now be handed further opportunities to establish himself in Dortmund’s starting line-up.

For a player who almost missed his introduction because of an unexpected bathroom break, Wednesday’s performance could prove to be a turning point in his Dortmund career.