Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri is experiencing mixed fortunes during his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, with German media outlets giving their verdict on his latest performance following a bizarre refereeing incident against Union Berlin.
The 19-year-old, who made his Premier League debut at just 15, arrived in Germany after spending the second half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Marseille. He initially impressed on his Dortmund debut, helping his side secure a comeback victory over Hoffenheim by forcing an own goal.
However, his performances since then have been less convincing.
Nwaneri Nearly Sent Off After Just 17 Seconds
Nwaneri started Dortmund’s Bundesliga encounter against Union Berlin but found himself at the centre of an unusual incident almost immediately.
Just 17 seconds into the match, the Arsenal loanee lunged into a challenge on Tom Rothe. Referee Daniel Schlager blew for a foul and reached for his pocket before mistakenly showing Nwaneri a straight red card.
The referee quickly realised his mistake and corrected the decision, replacing the red card with a yellow. Nwaneri was allowed to continue playing before being substituted shortly after the hour mark.
The match eventually finished 0-0, leaving Dortmund level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga standings.
German Media Give Their Verdict
German newspaper Bild described Nwaneri’s challenge as brutal, highlighting Dortmund’s aggressive start to the contest. The report also pointed out that the referee appeared to confuse the cards before correcting his decision.
Despite Dortmund’s intensity, the team struggled to turn its aggression into attacking success as Union Berlin defended resolutely.
Ruhr Nachrichten were particularly unimpressed with Nwaneri’s display, awarding him a disappointing 5/10 rating.
The publication criticised his involvement in the early red-card confusion and noted that he wasted Dortmund’s best scoring opportunity. It also suggested that the youngster had yet to justify his arrival as a replacement for the injured Giannis Konstantelias.
Nwaneri was eventually substituted, with the outlet indicating that his performance had not done enough to impress.
Meanwhile, Kicker also highlighted the bizarre refereeing incident in its match report. The publication noted that clear chances were limited, although Nwaneri had a promising opportunity just before half-time but failed to make proper contact with the ball.
Pressure Growing on the Arsenal Youngster?
The latest criticism comes after another frustrating moment for Nwaneri. In the previous week, his spectacular bicycle kick against Werder Bremen was ruled out following a VAR review.
Although the youngster has shown flashes of his quality, his start at Dortmund has not been as productive as expected.
With only seven appearances across the Bundesliga and Champions League at this stage of his loan spell, it remains too early to judge his overall progress in Germany.
His assist on debut remains his only goal contribution so far, and the Arsenal prospect will be eager to improve his performances and establish himself as an important player for Dortmund in the coming weeks.
