Marc Bartra returns to Dortmund for Champions League match

Spanish defender Marc Bartra returned to Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday for a Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and his current club, Real Betis Sevilla. The event marked his first return to the stadium in nearly nine years.

Bartra shares a significant history with Borussia Dortmund, having been the only player injured during an explosive attack on the team bus in April 2017. During that incident, which occurred while the team was traveling to a match against AS Monaco, Bartra suffered a fractured radius and shrapnel injuries that required hospitalization.

To honor his return, Borussia Dortmund displayed a large graphic on the stadium facade reading, “Once a Borusse, always a Borusse,” alongside a Spanish welcome message. Dortmund President Hans-Joachim Watzke personally received Bartra. The defender, who left the German club in early 2018, expressed his emotional connection to the stadium, stating it would always hold a special place in his heart.