DUSHANBE, 12.04.2017 /NIAT “Khovar”/. Borussia Dortmund’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against AS Monaco has been postponed to Wednesday after the Bundesliga team’s coach was caught in an explosion en route to the Signal Iduna Park.
Dortmund announced on their official Twitter feed that defender Marc Bartra was injured in the blast, which took place near the hotel where Thomas Tuchel’s squad had been staying ahead of the game. Bartra was taken to hospital for treatment on a fractured right wrist that also needed shrapnel removing.
After consultation between the clubs, UEFA and local authorities, the match, will be played at 18:45 local time (21:45 Dushanbe time) on Wednesday.
Dr. Reinhard Rauball, president of both Dortmund and the DFL League Association, said: «The players will get over this and be able to perform on the pitch. The worst thing that could happen would be for the people who caused this attack to achieve something with it too.»
In a show of solidarity with travelling supporters, Dortmund were quick to establish the hashtag #bedsforawayfans on Twitter, as a way of helping Monaco fans find extra accommodation due to the unforeseen circumstances.