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Germany-Netherlands friendly goes ahead despite Paris attacks - DFB

The German football association (DFB) has confirmed that the national team's friendly against Netherlands in Hannover will go ahead as planned.

Germany were playing France in Paris on Friday night when a series of terrorist attacks, which killed at least 129 people, hit the French capital.

Explosions could be heard inside the Stade de France during the game, and the Germany players and their French counterparts spent the night in the stadium.

After holding discussions, German football officials decided that the Netherlands match should proceed as planned as "a unanimous sign of freedom and against terror."

A statement quoted DFB vice-president Reinhard Rauball as saying: "The message is clear -- we will not be intimidated by terror.

"As planned, the team will play. [Coach] Joachim Low and each individual player deserve respect for this demonstration of solidarity with the victims and the French people."

National team manager Oliver Bierhoff said: "We all know that it is important to set an example and to work as a team for our values and culture."

The terror attacks -- the worst violence in Paris since the Second World War -- had raised questions about whether the game in Hannover should be postponed.

But before talks on the issue took place, acting DFB President Rainer Koch said: "Fundamentally, I think the DFB and the national team have a social responsibility to send a clear signal that our society -- which is based on the rule of law -- will not yield to terrorism."

On the morning of the France match, the German players had been forced to evacuate their hotel because of a bomb threat, but police found no explosive devices.