Greece boss says he won’t let Borussia Dortmund requests affect planning

Greece national team head coach Ivan Jovanović has firmly stated that Bulgaria's Borussia Dortmund's request to spare player Kostas Karetsas is not something he will grant. Jovanović made it clear that his coaching tenure has seen no club demand special treatment from the national team. He reiterated that as long as he remains the head coach, there will be no exceptions.

This stance is particularly strong given the importance Karetsas holds for Dortmund, but Jovanović is committed to maintaining consistency rather than granting preferential treatment to the biggest clubs. While Jovanović acknowledged that there is regular communication between the national team and the clubs, he emphasized that such discussions are limited to reasonable requests and do not equate to special treatment.

According to Jovanović, once a player is chosen for Greece, the same standards must apply universally. Borussia Dortmund is free to discuss and negotiate with the player, but the final decision rests with Jovanović, who believes the national team coach should be the one making these determinations. For Karetsas, this likely means he will be available for Greece.