Kovač says Nwaneri’s late withdrawal was about workload, not performance
The Borussia Dortmund coach said the Arsenal loanee was taken off late against Villarreal as the team defended its lead.
Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač said Ethan Nwaneri’s late substitution in the 3–2 Champions League win over Villarreal was driven by workload and the match situation, rather than the player’s performance.
Nwaneri replaced Konstantinos Karetsas in the 27th minute before being withdrawn again in the closing stages, with Dortmund protecting its lead.
“He gave everything,” Kovač said, adding that the decision had “nothing” to do with Nwaneri’s performance. The coach said the 19-year-old had been “really good” and had made an impact in a short period.
Nwaneri was not directly involved in Dortmund’s goals, but recorded six shots after coming on and hit the post.
The explanation was reported by Yahoo Sports from Kovač’s post-match comments. No injury was reported, and the exact minute of Nwaneri’s withdrawal was not specified.
