Germany friendly against Netherlands in doubt following Paris attacks
Saturday 14 November 2015 17:39, UK
Germany's friendly against the Netherlands on Tuesday is in doubt following the terror attacks in Paris.
The world champions spent Friday night in the changing rooms at the Stade de France after their 2-0 defeat to France which took place amid the attacks that claimed at least 127 lives in the French capital.
Three people died outside the stadium - there were two explosions at entrances to the ground and another at a nearby McDonald's restaurant, with Paris police later confirming two of the explosions were suicide attacks.
The Germany team flew back to Frankfurt on Saturday morning and were sent back to their families while a decision is made on whether or not to go ahead with the game against the Dutch in Hanover on Tuesday.
German Football Association president Reinhard Rauball said a final decision would be taken on Sunday.
He said: "We will now sleep over it and then see how we will approach things for Tuesday or not. But my opinion is that we should not yield to terror."
Rauball also revealed the France players remained at the Stade de France along with their opponents on Friday night.
"The French said that they were staying as long as Germany had to stay. That was an outstanding gesture of camaraderie," he said.
Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff said the players were scared as the events unfolded in Paris.
He told Sky in Germany: "It was obviously very moving and shocking. The players were scared, nobody really knew what was going on.
"The information flow was not the best, so we tried to avoid all risks. We decided not to drive through Paris and spend the night in a hotel that might not be 100 per cent secure.
"Our thoughts are with the families of the victims."
After arriving back in Frankfurt, the Germany team also issued a statement on www.dfb.de which read: "We came to Paris to do what connects us all - to play football, together, against one another and in friendship. To have an enjoyable evening together with our fans, to show sporting ambition, but particularly we came for a fair and peaceful encounter.
"We all looked forward to playing in the Stade de France, to have a great night of football, which ended up turning into a nightmare.
"It was a dull bang, which changed everything. It produced pictures that will remain in our heads for a long time. We spent the night doing a lot of thought-processing. We asked ourselves why something like this could happen? How is such inhumanity even possible?
"There were a lot of answers, but none that could explain these cowardly attacks. We lost a game of football on Friday evening. But nothing is as irrelevant as that right now."
Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels, who played in the defeat to Les Bleus, expressed his shock at the events on Twitter.
He wrote: "Back in [Germany] unbelievable what happened yesterday. My thoughts are with those who lost someone they love."
Wolfsburg midfielder Andre Schurrle tweeted: "What a terrible night! My thoughts are with families who lost their loved ones!! #prayforparis."
UEFA said all teams playing in European internationals in the next week will wear black armbands and a minute's silence will be held before kick-off.
