Schuerrle suffers KO on Dortmund start

BERLIN: Germany winger Andre Schuerrle has revealed how he was first poleaxed, then needed stitches for a chin wound having scored on his first competitive start for Borussia Dortmund.

Schuerrle, whose cross saw Mario Goetze score the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final, started his first game for Borussia on Monday in a 3-0 German Cup first-round win at Eintracht Trier, following his €30 million (US$34 million) transfer from Wolfsburg.

After Japan winger Shinji Kagawa netted twice at Trier, Schuerrle volleyed home Borussia’s third goal against the fourthdivision minnows, only to be later floored by a collision with Trier goalkeeper Chris Keilmann in the 53rd minute.

Dortmund’s medical staff used oxygen to revive him and he had four metal tacks inserted for a chin wound, while still on the pitch, before being taken off.

“It’s a cut, I was tacked four times. I was a bit dizzy, so it was also good that I was taken off,” Schuerrle told German broadcaster ARD. “I have never experienced anything like that before. I was my first competitive match [for Dortmund] and first of all I was knocked out, then I could hardly walk.”

Schuerrle soon saw the funny side and shared a joke with Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel on the sidelines.

“I told him: we saved him from a third accident. We relieved him [from further danger],” joked Tuchel.

Schuerrle hopes to be fit when Dortmund, last season’s Bundesliga runners-up, play their first German league game of the new season on Saturday at home to Mainz with a sell-out crowd of 80,000 expected.

Meanwhile, English Championship side Aston Villa have signed defender Ritchie De Laet from Premier League champions Leicester City on a three-year contract.

“I’m pleased to have brought Ritchie to the club,” manager Roberto Di Matteo told second-tier Villa’s website yesterday.

“He is... a player who not only has Championship experience but has also played a part in helping a team win promotion back to the Premier League.”