BBC– Windows were broken on the Dortmund team bus, which was six miles from the stadium at the time of the incident at around 18:00 BST, and former Barcelona centre-back Bartra was sent to hospital, reportedly with minor injuries. Police said the cause of the explosions, at Hochsten outside the city, was unclear, but added there had been no evidence of any threat to supporters.
I use the word attack lightly, because we still aren’t sure if it was an attack of terror, or, “just a prank.” But whoever did this, clearly had an intention of shaking the team up. It just is despicable that people can act this way. It is so hard to sit at home, and see that people have so much hatred or are so sick, that seeing innocent people getting harmed is ok in their lives.
Soccer, or sport in general, is a way of people escaping reality, and indulging in something that doesn’t have extreme consequences on reality. It’s a way of forgetting the problems at home, and experiencing 90 minutes of fun, and excitement. And when ignorant people, like the one that did this, intrude into our sport, and our recreation, it not only unites a team, or city, but it unites a world of fans. It unites, Spurs and Gunners, Xeneizes and Millonarios, Celts, and Gers. Everybody in the football universe can come together, to support any team in trouble. When the Chapecoense flight went down, almost every match in the world held a moment of silence for the team, and fans around the world showed their support towards the Brazilian Club.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_IR-Rvu-_U]
Lucky enough that the incident today, did not have a major catastrophe, and didn’t severely hurt anyone. Nonetheless, at some point this has to stop. I know the world will never be perfect. I know there is no such thing as all humans getting along, and living in kumbaya. But terrorism has no place in our sport, and our Lives.
I hope Marc Bartra is ok, and though he reportedly went into surgery, the world hopes he will be ready for at least the second leg of the Champions. The second leg will be played tomorrow at 12:30 EST. I think everyone on earth will be rooting for a Dortmund 5-0 win. All due respect to Monaco, you have no business trying to win tomorrow, and should probably throw both games, for a Dortmund feel good story.