The Brazilian soccer club Bay He said at least three of his players were injured by a homemade explosive that detonated inside the team bus on Thursday as he was en route to a game he later won. Bahía said on Twitter that the goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes he is in a hospital due to broken glass on his face. The club also confirmed that the left back Matheus Bahia and the striker Marcelo Cirino they’re hurt.
Fernandes said in a social media post that he is fine, without elaborating. The club posted photos of blood-covered vehicle seats and another showing a large hole in one of the windows. The team played against Sampaio Correia on Thursday for the Copa do Nordeste, a regional championship in northeastern Brazil. Bahía won 2-0, a result that the players could not celebrate. Daniel opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and Hugo Rodallega added the second in the 89th minute.
Bahia state police said in a statement that they are investigating the incident, which took place in the club’s hometown of Salvador. “We will collect images, statements from players and witnesses who were at the scene at the time. We will use our maximum capabilities to identify and arrest the perpetrators,” police investigator Victor Spinola told the media at the Arena Fonte Nova.
Local media reports say Bahia fans are among the suspects, in what appeared to be an attempt to intimidate players for better results. No suspect has been arrested in connection with the case. The team was relegated to Brazil’s second division last year and won just one of its last six matches.
Bahia’s coach, Guto Ferreira, told the media that the team decided to play the game “because of their dignity and their professionalism.” “This is stupid, people believe that such movements will intimidate an athlete into giving up. That’s not how problems are solved.”
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