Serhou Guirassy injury update eases Dortmund fears

“We don’t believe it was anything more than a pulled muscle,” Niko Kovač said after Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 win over Real Betis in the UEFA Champions League league phase. Serhou Guirassy had felt his thigh in the 31st minute and could not continue, but the first message from Dortmund is that the problem does not look serious.

Kovač's update on Guirassy

Kovač said Guirassy could feel his thigh and that Dortmund still need to see what the issue is. The coach did not sound alarmed, though he was clear that the striker had to come off.

Guirassy's exit came shortly after Borussia Dortmund vs Real Betis, when Konstantinos Karetsas replaced him and scored Dortmund's winning goal. Karetsas has 1 UEFA Champions League goal this season, and this one rescued the night for Dortmund as much as it softened the blow of losing their centre forward.

Why Dortmund will monitor the injury

Guirassy's form is why this update matters. He has scored 8 goals in 14 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions this season, and 4 of those have come in 4 Champions League appearances. That is a strong return for any striker, and it is especially important for a Dortmund side that used him to start the evening against Betis.

The immediate concern is not a confirmed lay-off, it is avoiding a setback by pushing him too soon. Dortmund won the match and got the points, but they now have to wait on the thigh issue before knowing whether Guirassy is ready to go again.