Germany

German matches to go ahead at weekend

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 18 November 2015

DFL president Reinhard Rauball confirms that domestic matches in Germany will go ahead as planned at the weekend, despite the recent terrorist scare in Hamburg.

Domestic football matches in Germany will go ahead as planned this weekend despite a recent terrorist threat in Hamburg.

The national team's friendly against Holland was called off just 90 minutes before kickoff on Tuesday night due to security concerns, although it was later confirmed that no explosives were found in or around the HDI Arena.

The scare came just four days after at least 129 people lost their lives in coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris, including one outside the Stade de France when the French national side were facing Germany.

However, after a meeting this afternoon, DFL president Reinhard Rauball confirmed that all Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga matches will take place.

"We have a great deal of trust in the security authorities of the nation and the states," Rauball told bundesliga.de.

"On the one hand, we maintain that we will not let terror defeat us. On the other hand, the protection of human lives must be the greatest priority."

Tuesday's international friendly between Belgium and Spain was also cancelled in the wake of the Paris attacks.