Dortmund to face Dynamo Kiev in charity match at the end of the month
Borussia Dortmund announced on Friday that they would utilize to extra time accorded them by their Champions' League elimination to stage a benefit match against Dynamo Kiev on April 26th.
| Signal Iduna Park. | Photo: Marco Verch, CC BY-SA 2.0 |
Once the sale details are clarified, BVB officials implored club supporters to buy a ticket for the charity fixture, which will take place at Signal Iduna three days after the club's showdown with FC Bayern München.
"We ask everyone to purchase a ticket," Dortmund managing director Carsten Cramer noted in a statement, "Let us all show a unified message to the entire world that we stand for peace and against war. Above all, let's help those affected on the ground together."
"Peace, territorial integrity, prosperity and development can no longer be taken for granted in central Europe," club CEO Hans Joachim-Watzke added, "And that truly hurts. We stand with the Ukrainians and the BVB family has already sent many tons of relief supplies. We'd like to collect funds now as well."
Cramer noted that the specific charities to which the proceeds would be donated were still being worked on. Cramer spoke of a "careful selection process designed to provide the most targeted relief."
BVB head-coach Marco Rose waved off any potential problem with placing the team back on the pitch so soon after a league match.
"Even if the match had been scheduled for three days before the Bayern game, we would have been on the pitch," Rose noted, "Nothing is more important right now that standing up together in favor of peace and assisting the Ukrainians during this time of humanitarian crisis."