Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has recalled how a last-minute change of seat on Borussia Dortmund’s team bus may have saved his life when explosives struck the vehicle ahead of a UEFA Champions League match in Germany in April 2017.
Merino, who was 20 at the time, was travelling with his Dortmund teammates to the stadium for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against AS Monaco on April 11, 2017, when three explosive devices detonated near the team bus.
Nearly nine years after the incident, the Spanish midfielder has revisited the frightening experience, explaining how a minor change in his routine left his usual seat empty at the moment of the attack.
In a personal account published by The Players’ Tribune, Merino revealed that he normally sat beside Spanish defender Marc Bartra, who was seriously injured in the explosion. However, he decided to sit closer to the front of the bus because his legs felt tight and the seats there reclined.
The decision would later take on a chilling significance.
Merino said he was subsequently informed that a large piece of shrapnel had become lodged in the headrest of the seat he would ordinarily have occupied.
Reflecting on how narrowly he may have escaped a potentially fatal injury, the midfielder said he felt fortunate to have survived the incident.
The explosion left the bus shaking violently, while smoke, blood and screams filled the scene. Merino recalled the deafening noise and the terrifying uncertainty that followed as players tried to understand what had happened.
The attack occurred as Dortmund travelled to their home stadium, Signal Iduna Park, for the scheduled European encounter against Monaco. The explosives, which were packed with metal pins, detonated close to the vehicle, damaging it and injuring people nearby.
Bartra sustained injuries to his wrist and underwent surgery. A police officer accompanying the team also suffered injuries.
Merino later accompanied Bartra to hospital, where he remained while his teammate received medical treatment. The experience left a lasting impression on the young midfielder and his teammates, who had suddenly found themselves confronted with a life-threatening situation while travelling to a football match.
The incident also disrupted Dortmund’s Champions League preparations. The match against Monaco was postponed until the following day, with the German side eventually losing the first leg 3-2.
German national Sergej Wenergold was subsequently convicted over the bombing and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2018. Prosecutors established that he had carried out the attack in an attempt to profit from a fall in Borussia Dortmund’s share price.
For Merino, the memory of that evening has remained significant long after his departure from Germany. The midfielder has since played for Newcastle United, Real Sociedad and Arsenal, establishing himself as an experienced Spanish international.
His latest recollections also touch on another difficult period in his career: his recovery from a serious foot injury that threatened his hopes of representing Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Merino explained that doctors initially warned him that recovery could take approximately six months, a timeline that placed his World Cup ambitions in jeopardy.
Rather than accept that outcome without a fight, he pursued treatment and rehabilitation, eventually undergoing surgery involving the insertion of two screws to support the injured foot.
The recovery process demanded patience and determination, particularly as the tournament approached. Merino said he pushed to return to competitive action before Spain’s squad was announced, believing that even a short appearance could demonstrate his readiness.
He eventually received the opportunity to feature for Arsenal before the end of the season, giving him a chance to show Spain coach Luis de la Fuente that he was capable of returning to international duty.
Looking back at both experiences, Merino’s account illustrates how uncertainty and setbacks have shaped his outlook on football and life beyond the pitch.
The Dortmund bombing was a traumatic episode that could have ended very differently for the midfielder. His decision to change seats was made for a simple, practical reason, but the discovery of shrapnel in his usual seat later made him realise how close he may have come to serious harm.
Although the precise consequences of the attack for Merino will always remain a matter of what might have happened, his recollection offers a sobering reminder of the danger faced by the Dortmund players that evening.
Nearly nine years later, the Spanish international continues his career at the highest level, carrying the memory of an incident that changed his perspective on life and made him appreciate just how fortunate he was to walk away unharmed.
