A heated-looking moment between Adeyemi and Yildiz during Juve’s clash with Dortmund quickly became a talking point. The two were seen in a centre-circle exchange after scoring stunning goals, sparking speculation of tension. However, the 23-year-old Dortmund star dismissed any hostility, telling Prime Video it was nothing more than banter between old acquaintances.
“We know each other. I went to school with him. He was younger than me, a very, very good boy and a very good footballer,” the Dortmund winger said of the 20-year-old Turkey international. “I scored, he scored, and then we played a little joke. I told him not to score any more goals and not to run backwards. That’s football. I get along well with him.”
Juve starlet Yildiz also downplayed the incident, revealing the exchange was partly in Turkish.
“Those were a few jokes in Turkish. He knows a few words. I think he sometimes feels better than me,” he laughed.
“We went to the same school in Unterhaching. I was in fifth grade, he was in 10th. People looked up to him, he was a bit of a role model back then.”
The friendly chat was just one subplot in a chaotic Champions League opener. Adeyemi’s strike put Dortmund ahead, before Yildiz’s long-range effort levelled things. Felix Nmecha and Dusan Vlahovic traded goals in a frantic four-minute spell, while Yan Couto and Ramy Bensebaini seemed to seal the win for the Germans after the 86th minute. However, late strikes from Vlahovic and Lloyd Kelly rescued Juventus in stoppage time.
The 4-4 draw equalled the record for the highest-scoring Champions League draw and highlighted both sides’ attacking flair as well as their defensive fragility. Juve will next face Villarreal in their group campaign, while Borussia Dortmund meet Athletic Club on October 2. With Yildiz’s rise continuing and Adeyemi back in form, both clubs will hope to turn entertainment into consistent results.
