How last-minute seat change saved my life in 2017 bus bombing– Merino

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino recounted how a last-minute seat change on Borussia Dortmund's team bus may have saved his life during a bomb attack in Germany in 2017. The incident occurred as the bus traveled to the stadium for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco. As Merino, then 20, moved to a different seat due to discomfort, a bomb detonated, injuring several passengers.

"The seats in the front reclined, so I sat up there instead, and it may have saved my life," Merino said in an interview with The Players’ Tribune. He described the aftermath as terrifying, with the bus nearly tipping over and witnessing blood on the floor, smoke, and screams. Eventually, Merino was treated at a hospital while teammate Marc Bartra underwent surgery for a wrist injury.

The match against Monaco was postponed, and Dortmund faced criticism from their manager Thomas Tuchel, now England's head coach. Merino's recovery was marked by a stress fracture in his right foot, which threatened his participation in the World Cup. He was determined to make it, undergoing surgery to insert screws into his foot for added support.

Despite initial plans to return for the Champions League final, Merino argued with Arsenal's manager to secure his place in the World Cup squad, which he ultimately achieved.