Just how was the decision taken to reschedule the Borussia Dortmund-Monaco game 24 hours after the Dortmund team bus was rocked by three explosions as it left the team hotel to the Dortmund stadiumeight miles away?
After the 3-2 loss to Monaco in Wednesday’s first leg, Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel was upset with the circumstances he and his players were informed of thedecision minutes after the attack in which Spanish defender Marc Barta suffered a broken hand.
“We were never asked,” Tuchel said at the post-game press conference. “We wereinformed by a text message that the UEFA made a decision in Switzerland. It felt lousy. And that sticks with us. Minutes after the attacks, the only question was whether the game could go through ornot.”
But a UEFA spokesperson said Dortmund never indicated it might not want to play the game so quickly.
“The decision to play the match today at [6:45 p.m.] was made lastnight at BVB stadium in cooperation and complete agreement with clubs and authorities,” UEFA communications director Pedro Pinto told The Associated Press. “We were in touch with all partiestoday and never received any information which suggested that any of the teams did not want to play.”