Explosions hit Dortmund football team bus

Sport Desk: German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund's team bus was the target of an attack in three explosions ahead of their Champions League tie against Monaco on Tuesday, police said.

"At the present moment it is still unclear what the concrete background is to this act," Dortmund police chief Gregor Lange told a news conference.

The devices exploded as the team bus left the squad's hotel some two-and-half hours ahead of the first-leg quarter-final match.

A note claiming responsibility for the attack was found near the scene and its authenticity was being "intensively examined," prosecutor Sandra Luecke said.

Dortmund's Spanish defender Marc Bartra was taken to hospital with a fracture to his right wrist and several foreign body injuries in an arm and he has undergone surgery.

The match was postponed and rescheduled for Wednesday, ahead of two other ties including fellow German side Bayern Munich against holders Real Madrid.

The nature of the explosive devices was not immediately known, however it is believed they could have been placed in a hedge near the hotel car park.

The incident occurred in the Hoechsten district, around 10km from the club's stadium, as the Dortmund squad left the team hotel for the stadium.
After it was announced the match was being postponed, spectators already inside the ground left without incident.

Police said there were three separate explosions, bursting one of the vehicle's windows.

Dortmund's Swiss goalkeeper Roman Buerki told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "I was sitting in the back row next to Marc Bartra who was hit by shards from the burst back window.

"The bus had turned onto the main road when there was a big bang - a real explosion."


Source: Agencies

 

risingbd/Dhaka/April 12, 2017/A K Azad