Weigl: "I just want to let you know that I'm ok. We were really lucky! We are all doing mistakes but there was a line crossed!"
Friday 5 June 2020 16:12, UK
Two Benfica players were sent to hospital after being injured when their team bus was stoned following a goalless draw at home to Tondela on Thursday night.
Germany international midfielder Julian Weigl and Serbia international winger Andrija Zivkovic were hit with shrapnel and taken to hospital in Lisbon to be treated as a precaution, Benfica said in a statement.
The bus was travelling along a major motorway in Lisbon after the team had played their first game since coronavirus halted the season in Portugal.
The Portuguese champions missed the chance to move clear of title rivals Porto at the top of the table after being held to a 0-0 draw. The top two are now level on 60 points with nine rounds of matches remaining.
Fans had gathered outside the gates of Benfica's stadium to support the team because restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak prevented them entering the ground.
Weigl posted on social media: "I just want to let you know that I'm ok. We were really lucky! We are all doing mistakes but there was a line crossed!
"Throwing rocks on a bus without caring if someone gets hurt? I know that's not how the real Benfica fans are! Especially these past weeks and days should have shown us that it's always the better solution to stand together instead of literally throwing rocks at each other!
"Thank you for your kind messages! I appreciate everyone reaching out."
"Benfica denounce the criminal stoning the bus of its players was victim to," the club's statement read.
"We guarantee total collaboration with authorities to whom we appeal for the greatest effort to be made in identifying the offenders responsible for these criminal acts."
