Dortmund players 'in shock' after explosions around team bus
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said the players were in shock after tomight's game against Monaco was postponed following three explosions around the team bus.
The incidents occurred around three kilometres from Signal Iduna Park as the squad were making their way to the stadium for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie.
Spanish defender Marc Bartra was taken to hospital, having reportedly suffered minor arm injuries.
Watzke said in a statement on Facebook: "An explosive strike on the bus was carried out immediately after the departure from the hotel.
"Three explosive devices were placed and triggered on the edge of the road.
"The whole team is in shock. We have to get through this. It will not be easy for the players. I hope that the team will somehow be able to return to the field.
"Borussia Dortmund is especially strong in extreme situations. Everyone will come even closer together and I'm sure the team will feel this."
On the decision to rearrange the match for Wednesday, Watzke added: "We decided that the match was cancelled and that we would return on Wednesday at 1845 (CET), so we did not clash with the Bayern Munich-Real Madrid game (2045CET kick-off) and give the opponents from Monaco the opportunity to leave early in the evening."
The Dortmund players returned to the hotel following the incident.
Dortmund and German Football League (DFL) president Reinhard Rauball said it would be a "bad thing" for the perpetrators to have any impact on the outcome of the quarter-final tie.
He said in a statement on the club's website: "Of course this is an extremely difficult situation for the players. But they are professionals, and I am convinced that they will put this away and will produce a performance (on Wednesday).
"It would be a bad thing for those who did this to succeed because the team is influenced in some way."
German police are working on the assumption that explosions which rocked the Borussia Dortmund football team's bus were caused by "serious explosive devices".
Police in Dortmund said the devices which went off near the bus as the Bundesliga side were leaving their hotel for a Champions League match "may have been hidden in a hedge near a parking area".
Borussia Dortmund's Champions League game against Monaco has been postponed until tomorrow after three explosions around the team bus.
The club said one person, Spanish defender Marc Bartra, has been injured. His injuries are said to be superficial.
The chief executive of Borussia Dortmund said Bartra was injured on the arm and hand.
Hans-Joachim Watzke said the injuries to the Spaniard were "nothing life-threatening".
Dortmund police spokeswoman Nina Vogt said investigators do not yet know the source of the explosions that went off as the team was preparing to leave their hotel.
Police Dortmund said in a statement: "In the run-up to the Champions League game between BVB (Dortmund) and AS Monaco, there was just after 1900 tonight an explosion close to the BVB team bus."
The statement added: "According to what we currently know, the wheels of the bus (totally or partly) burst and one person was injured.
"It is not yet possible to say exactly what the explosion was or exactly where something exploded."
Bei der Explosion wurde @MarcBartra verletzt und befindet sich derzeit im Krankenhaus. Gute und schnelle Genesung, Marc! #bvbasm
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 11, 2017
They also said there is no evidence of a threat to supporters at the stadium.
Thanks for your patience and understanding and the "Dortmund! Dortmund" chants, dear supporters of @AS_Monaco_EN! pic.twitter.com/Gcz9XGQY0J
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 11, 2017
The incident is believed to have taken place around three kilometres from Dortmund's stadium.
#Explosion #Dortmund
— Polizei NRW DO (@polizei_nrw_do) April 11, 2017
Wir können bestätigen, dass es im Bereich des @BVB Mannschaftsbusses insgesamt drei Explosionen gegeben hat.
A statement on the club's Twitter account said: "Bomb explosion on the team bus at the team hotel. Players are safe."
Entscheidung über mögliche Spielabsage/-neuansetzung fällt um 20.30 Uhr. #bvbasm
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 11, 2017
Dortmund have decided to cancel the match tonight and play it tomorrow night instead at the same time.
Das Spiel #bvbasm wurde soeben abgesagt. Neuansetzung: Mittwoch, 12.04. 18.45 Uhr. Tickets behalten Gültigkeit. #bvbasm
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 11, 2017
Bartra joined the club from Barcelona last year, and his former club were quick to wish him well.
The Spanish club said on Twitter: "All our support to @MarcBartra, @BVB and their fans."
All of our support to @MarcBartra, @BVB and their fans
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 11, 2017
