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The 2016 European Championship soccer tournament will take place in France despite Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris, which could have happened anywhere, Germany coach Joachim Loew said yesterday.

The German, whose team were playing France in a friendly international in Paris when at least 132 people were killed in attacks across the French capital, said he expected the tournament to go ahead as planned.

“I’m certain that the Euro will take place in France,” Loew, whose team have qualified for the June 10-July 10 finals, told reporters.

“I’m sure the (French) government and security forces will provide security, it’ll make sure the event is safe.”

Loew said moving Euro 2016 to another country would not guarantee the safety of the event as attacks have been staged in other countries as well.

“It makes no sense to start talking about different countries now. What happened in Paris is something that can happen in any other country as well. We expect the Euro 2016 will be in France and that everything will be done to safeguard the tournament.”

Loew and his players spent Friday night inside the stadium as the attacks took place before leaving straight for the airport on Saturday morning.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, in which more than 350 people were also wounded, saying it sent militants strapped with suicide bombing belts and carrying machine guns to various locations in the heart of Paris. There was one bombing near the Stade de France, killing three people, during the game inside the venue, site of the Euro 2016 final.

Meanwhile, Loew says Germany’s friendly against the Netherlands today will be “a symbol of freedom”, with the result of little consequence, in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

The German Football Association (DFB) had been considering cancelling the friendly in Hanover, but took the decision over the weekend to go ahead with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her cabinet set to attend the match.

The shaken German team spent Friday night in the Stade de France stadium after playing a friendly against the French the same night when 132 people died and 350 were injured in a series of violent attacks across Paris.

Loew says security will be top priority in Hanover, but the political importance of the match, as a statement against terrorism, outweighs the fixture’s sporting value.

“It’s a clear message and symbol of freedom and a demonstration of compassion, as well as sorrow, for our French friends — not only in France, but throughout the world,” said Loew.

Team manager Oliver Bierhoff says the DFB are considering ways to show solidarity with France, but could not confirm whether the French national anthem, ‘Les Marseillaise’, will be sung in the Hanover stadium.

“We’ve had a few ideas, but we want to talk to the Dutch about them first,” added Bierhoff.

Against the background of Friday’s events in Paris, Loew said “the much-touted sporting rivalry between Germany and Holland fades into the background”.

The head coach looked drawn during yesterday’s Press conference and brushed off questions of a sporting nature, but spoke at length about why the Germans want the friendly to go ahead.

“We want to play the game and behave very professionally, but I believe that the result will not be an important factor,” said Germany’s World Cup-winning coach.

“During the terrible, shocking night, which we experienced in the dressing room (in Paris), came the question: ‘can the game on Tuesday take place?’ and we talked about it to the players

“I had the feeling when we arrived back on Saturday that the game couldn’t, and shouldn’t, take place.

“We had to get over the shock and we were afraid.

“But we talked about it again on Sunday and it was clear that the game had to take place. It’s a clear statement about freedom and solidarity.

“Clearly, we’ll be thinking of the victims and their families.”

With Merkel set to attend, the DFB has said security will be a high priority and Loew said there was no fear in the team of a repeat of what they experienced in Paris.

“I believe everything will be done to make the game as safe as possible,” said Loew.

“I’ve already spoken to our psychologist. We’ve to be sure that when we stand on the pitch, we’re all fully concentrated, but sport will take a bit of a back seat. This game won’t be the yardstick it would normally be for me.”

Loew was very clear when asked if the game would be a celebration of life after the horror scenes in Paris: “A party atmosphere wouldn’t be appropriate” he said tersely. — Reuters-AFP.