Dortmund's Bartra undergoes wrist surgery after attack on team bus
Defender Marc Bartra underwent surgery on his wrist after a trio of explosions rocked Borussia Dortmund's team bus Tuesday, the German club confirmed amid suspicions of a planned attack.
It happened an hour-and-a-half before a Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, billed as one of the most exciting matchups in the knockout round.
After consulting with police in the Dortmund-Hochsten region and with UEFA authorities, Dortmund announced that the match would be rescheduled for Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET).
North Rhine-Westphalia police called it an "attack with serious explosives," according to the BBC.
State prosecutor Sandra Luecke later added that a letter claiming responsibility was found on the crime scene, although the local police force has not yet determined whether it is authentic.
Bartra suffered a broken bone in his right wrist as a result of the blasts, which caused glass to shatter in the Spain international's vicinity. Surgery was also required to remove shrapnel from his arm.
Related - Dortmund's Burki: Injured Bartra hit by flying glass
"Bartra was injured, on his hand and his arm, but nothing that would be life-threatening," club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said, as reported by the Guardian's Philip Oltermann. "The team is obviously in complete shock. Our task is to process this experience, because the match is taking place in less than 24 hours. That's our job."
Pictures show the team's coach on the side of a road with windows smashed and debris on the ground. A police spokesman confirmed to DW Sports the explosions occurred shortly after the bus left the team's hotel, 10 kilometres from Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park stadium.
Police said there was no threat to anyone inside the stadium, and praised ticket holders for leaving the ground in a "calm" manner.
Tickets remain valid for Wednesday's match, with Dortmund encouraging fans to open their homes to travelling Monaco supporters.
Related: Monaco, Dortmund reach out to supporters after explosion
"I was deeply disturbed by the explosions which occurred tonight in Dortmund," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement. "The decision taken to postpone the UEFA Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco was the correct one since we must always prioritise the safety and security of all fans, team officials, and players.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the representatives of the two clubs, the local authorities, and the supporters for their cooperation on the ground."
Police also confirmed it will have a big presence for the rescheduled fixture.
"We are preparing for a major operation tomorrow," Dortmund police chief Gregor Lange told assembled reporters, including Martin Meissner of The Associated Press, "and we will do everything humanly possible to ensure that the match tomorrow can occur safely."