A statement for peace, a match to help the suffering people of Ukraine: the charity match between Borussia Dortmund and Dynamo Kyiv raised a total of €400,000, which will be directly donated to those affected.

"We'd like to thank BVB and everyone who made this match possible," Vitaly Klitschko, the major of Kyiv, said in a video message. "Football is always there with its irresistible power and it helps wherever it can," said BVB president Dr. Reinhard Rauball. "It's about making a statement. A message for solidarity and against this despicable war of aggression," said chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke, who estimated the amount to be donated at €400,000.

The Dynamo Kyiv line-up was read out by Ivan Matviichuk. The 16-year-old, a footballer for Shakhtar Donetsk at U17 level, fled Ukraine with his mother and grandfather and is currently living in Dortmund. Nikita Semenov, 13, who plays in the Dynamo Kyiv academy and now lives with his mother in SOS-Kinderdorf Berlin, walked out onto the pitch with the captains of both teams and kicked off the match.

It was also a very special occasion for 20-year-old Alan Aussi. The Ukrainian, who came through the ranks at Dynamo Kyiv, fled the war almost two months ago and is currently training with the Borussia Dortmund U23s. The defender came on for Manuel Akanji in the 30th minute.

And if you looked into the eyes of the spectators from Ukraine, you could see it was more than 90 minutes of football to them. It was an evening that briefly kept the shadow of war at bay. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf remarked: "There are many people here in the stadium who have fled their homeland. For them, it's a bit of a distraction and diversion."
Boris Rupert