News / Germany / Sports

Explosions in front of Borussia Dortmund team bus leave one injured

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 6:38 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 12 April 2017 12:26 AM ]

Borussia Dortmund's damaged bus is pictured after an explosion some 10km away from the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 1st leg quarter-final football match BVB Borussia Dortmund v Monaco in Dortmund, western Germany on April 11, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Three explosions have occurred near a bus belonging to the German football team Borussia Dortmund, injuring one player.

"Shortly after the departure of the Borussia Dortmund team bus from the hotel to the stadium there was an incident…The bus has been damaged in two places. One person has been injured and is in the hospital. At this point, we will inform as soon as we know more,” said a statement released by the team on Tuesday.

The team’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke announced that 26-year-old Spaniard Marc Bartra injured his hand and was being treated in hospital.

“The team is in shock. We must get through this" Watzke noted, adding that “Technically, it’s possible to play tomorrow. If the players are able to shake this off is an entirely different matter.”

The explosions took place as the German team was to play against Monaco-based football club Association Sportive de Monaco in a Champions League quarter-final at the stadium on Tuesday.

Shortly after the incident, it was announced that the game would be postponed until Wednesday.

Footage from inside the stadium showed Monaco fans chanting "Dortmund," the opposing team, in solidarity.

"It is not yet possible to say exactly what the explosion was or exactly where something exploded," read an early statement released by local police. “Currently there is no evidence of a threat to the visitors at the stadium."

According to Dortmund police chief Gregor Lange, "At this time, it is still not clear what the real background to this act is… The risk of a terrorist attack is not new today."

"We have been preparing for this for a long time. I do not want to suggest that this was a terrorist attack. All that is still being investigated. We want to be careful. It is being investigated very professionally," he noted.

According to a the state prosecutor's office, a letter was found close to the scene of the attack, but is yet to be verified.

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