Explosions on Dortmund's bus: Merino recalls his luck

In the early hours of 2017, the Borussia Dortmund bus was heading to Signal Iduna Park to play the first leg of the Champions semifinal against Monaco when three homemade bombs exploded near the vehicle. The Spanish midfielder, then 20 years old, lived through the horror and, in his own words, "I’m lucky to be alive".

Details of the attack

The bombs, loaded with metal spikes and hidden in a hedge, detonated as the bus passed, causing a deafening noise and a jolt that nearly tipped the vehicle over. Merino described seeing blood on the ground, smoke and screams, and recalled that the seat where he usually sat became soaked with shrapnel.

A last‑minute seat change saved the player: "The front seats reclined, so I sat there and that could have saved my life", he explained in a letter to The Players' Tribune.

Consequences for the team

Spanish defender Marc Bartra was injured in the hand and had to be hospitalized; a police officer accompanying the coaching staff was also injured. Merino spent the night in the hospital waiting for Bartra, whose wrist was severely damaged.

Borussia Dortmund forward Sergej Wenergold was charged with 28 counts of attempted murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2018 for the attack.

The clash forced the match against Monaco to be postponed until the next day, a decision that the then Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, now England's head coach, criticized.

Merino's career after the attack

Merino, a key player for the Spanish national team, scored decisive goals at Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup, and won the World Cup with Spain. After a stress fracture in his right foot in February, he returned to training in five months and, five months later, lifted the World trophy.

He signed for Arsenal in 2024, coming from Real Sociedad. In the 2024‑25 season, he helped the club win its first Premier League title in 22 years and played the final match of the campaign against Crystal Palace on May 24.

Merino said his experience on the bus gave him a unique perspective: "I think I have a guardian angel. When the dust settled, I used that memory to drive me, because things happen for a reason".