Lothar Matthaus has slammed UEFA's "incomprehensible" decision to make Borussia Dortmund play their Champions League quarter-final first leg against AS Monaco so soon after a bomb attack on their team bus.
On Tuesday, as the coach was making its way to the Signal Iduna Park, three explosions resulted in windows of the vehicle smashing and footballer Marc Bartra suffering a broken wrist and injuries to his hand after debris lodged into his skin, forcing him to undergo surgery.
Despite the traumatic nature of the attack and the postponement of the original fixture, Dortmund were left with no choice but to play the game less than 24 hours after its original kickoff.
Former Germany international Matthaus criticised UEFA's decision to have the game take place so soon after the incident, and is quoted by Goal.com as saying: "I heard from sources in the team, that many players did not want to play.
"But UEFA is pressuring and the politics asks Dortmund to stand up against terror. To me it is irresponsible that the players have to be on the pitch. It is a incomprehensible decision by the UEFA to pressure Borussia Dortmund."
The rescheduled game saw Dortmund fall to a 3-2 defeat against Monaco.
Giuseppe Labellarte
