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Premier League to play La Marseillaise before each game this weekend in respect of Paris terror attack victims

The Premier League has announced that the French national anthem will play before all 10 of this weekend's matches

Jack de Menezes
Thursday 19 November 2015 16:28 GMT
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The French team during the rendition of 'La Marseillaise'
The French team during the rendition of 'La Marseillaise'

The Premier League has announced that the French national anthem will be played before all 10 of this weekend’s matches to pay respect to those who lost their lives in the Paris terror attacks last week.

129 people were killed in a series of shootings and explosions across Paris last Friday, with an international friendly between France and Germany at the Stade de France also targeted.

Despite the attacks, France’s match with England at Wembley on Tuesday went ahead as planned, with fans joining together to sing La Marseillaise in a show of unity against those responsible for the horrific attacks.

With the Premier League set to resume this weekend after the international break, a statement was issued to confirm that the victims of the attacks will be remembered before each match on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“The Premier League has announced that the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, will be played ahead of all this weekend's matches as an act of remembrance and solidarity with France after the Paris attacks,” a statement issued on www.premierleague.com read.

The Premier League executive chairman, Richard Scudamore, added: "Given how close we are as well as the long-standing relationship that exists between the Premier League and France, playing La Marseillaise as an act of solidarity and remembrance is the right thing to do.

French fans sing National Anthem "La Marseillaise"

"We were all saddened and deeply shocked by the events in Paris last Friday, and the fact it was an attack on people enjoying their everyday freedoms like going to a bar, a concert or a football match resonates with football fans and the general public throughout the UK."

The statement also added that La Marseillaise will be played after the coin toss, with both teams standing together with the match officials to line-up across the centre circle to face the main stand at each stadium.

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