“Don’t see it as a distraction”

Before the benefit game between Borussia Dortmund and Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday (6:00 p.m.), referee Patrick Ittrich called on football fans not to accept the war in Ukraine as normal.

“Don’t let wars and injustice become a constant rush. Watch the game, but listen to the people who want to say something tomorrow,” Ittrich demanded in a video on Twitter.

The 43-year-old took charge of the game at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park for one half, with the other half being taken over by FIFA referee Denys Schurman, who fled Ukraine. This fact is “great”, said Ittrich. At the same time, the Hamburger asked to see the game for a good cause “not as a distraction, like the millions of other things in our everyday life”.

According to BVB, the proceeds from the game will benefit an organization that helps Ukrainians in need. Ukrainians can book free tickets for the game online. According to BVB, around 25,000 tickets were sold on Monday, and solidarity bracelets are also being offered.

Kiev coach Mircea Lucescu was hoping for a full stadium in an interview with the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “I hope that the great BVB supporters will fill the beautiful stadium again this time to make their contribution to the good cause of the match,” said Lucescu.