Explosions hit Dortmund bus, player injured

explosions went off near the Borussia Dortmund bus, injuring Spanish international defender Marc Bartra, as the German team headed for a Champions League game against Monaco on Tuesday, police said.

Bartra was taken to hospital and the quarterfinal first-leg match was postponed until Wednesday because of the attack. Dortmund chief executive HansJoachim Watzke said the injuries to the Spanish defender are “nothing life-threatening”, adding that, Bartra, 26, suffered a hand injury.

Watzke said the police had informed him that the explosives were hidden by the exit of a hotel and detonated as the bus passed.

He added that the team “is totally shocked” by the explosions.

The bus had set off from the team hotel for the Borussia stadium about 12 kilometres away when “three explosive charges detonated,” said a police spokesman, Gunnar Wortmann.

The bus windows were shattered and one person inside the vehicle was wounded, added the spokesman, without adding details. The announcement that the game was postponed until Wednesday was only made to the stunned stadium about 15 minutes before the game started.

UEFA confirmed the match will now be played on Wednesday at 1845 local time (1645 GMT).

Dortmund relayed a copy of its Twitter announcement of the explosions inside the stadium to inform fans of events.

A spokesman at the already crowded stadium informed fans of the cancellation, saying that “there is no reason for panic here at the stadium.”

Dortmund recommended that fans stay in the stadium and remain calm to facilitate an “orderly departure.” 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

Germany has been on a high alert since last December’s attack in Berlin, when a Tunisian national hijacked a truck and rammed it into a crowd, killing 12 people.