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Borussia Dortmund's team bus has been damaged and a player injured after three explosions hit the vehicle while it was on its way to a Champions League game against AS Monaco.
Key points:
- Spanish international Marc Bartra undergoes surgery on a broken wrist
- Game against AS Monaco rescheduled for Wednesday
- Police unsure what caused explosions
Police said in a statement they were working on the assumption that the blasts were caused by "serious explosive devices", which may have been hidden in a hedge near a car park.
They did not elaborate on the possible nature of the devices or say who might have planted them.
"According to what is currently known, the windows of the bus were (entirely or partly) smashed and one person was injured," Dortmund police said.
"It is not yet possible to say exactly what the explosion was or exactly where something exploded."
The police said the incident happened after 7:00pm (local time) in Hoechsten, outside Dortmund.
The team were on their way to the quarter-final first-leg match, which was called off and rescheduled for Wednesday.
Dortmund said defender and Spanish international Marc Bartra had been taken to hospital, and confirmed he had suffered a broken wrist in the blast.
Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki said the bus had just pulled out of the hotel driveway when an explosion — a "huge bang" — happened and sent glass flying, telling Swiss media he was sitting in the last row of the bus, next to Bartra.
Bartra was hit by shards from the broken back window, he said, adding that players ducked for cover, wondering whether there would be more explosions.
"We're all shocked — nobody thought about a football match in the minutes after that," he said.
Borussia Dortmund said in a statement the bus had been damaged in two places.
Monaco fans chant 'Dortmund!' in support
Stadium spokesman Norbert Dickel told fans of the cancellation and said "there is no reason for panic here at the stadium".
Police said there was no evidence of a threat to visitors at the stadium and fans were advised to remain calm to facilitate an "orderly departure".
Police later said "nearly all" people in the stadium had left, with no problems.
The club thanked supporters of opponent Monaco for their "patience and understanding" and for chanting "Dortmund! Dortmund!" when the reason for the postponement was announced.
Dortmund residents, for their part, used social media to offer accommodation to stranded Monaco supporters ahead of their rescheduled match in Europe's premier football competition.
"The team is totally shocked, that's clear. It's our task now to digest this somehow because it's only 24 hours before we have to play. That's our job," Watzke said.
Dortmund is in western Germany, in the densely populated Ruhr industrial region.
Reuters/AP
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, sport, soccer, germany-soccer, germany
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