Mar 07, 2016 Following last year’s attack in Paris, France’s football coach, Didier Deschamps recently asserted that that there was no possibility of playing in front of empty stadia during the forthcoming EURO 2016 .
A UEFA official recently suggested that matches at this year’s European football championship in France could be moved or played in empty stadiums if there were perceived security risks.
With a hundred days before kickoff, Martin Kallen, tournament director for Euro 2016, confirmed that organizers and French security services is working together to discuss options in case of a perceived threat.
Responding to the idea of playing in front of an empty stadium, Didier Deschamps said:
“There is no chance of playing in front of empty stadia. The stadia will be full. I think that UEFA, the French state are doing everything to have a maximum of security. Today guaranteeing 100% security is impossible, but you must not be worried or afraid, the audience will come, the stadium will be full and it’ll be the celebration of football despite the tragic events we went through in Paris,”
Elsewhere England’s coach, Roy Hodgson said that he was preparing for all possible scenarios.
“Yeah absolutely, especially with the games we have coming up in March, you know it’s only a couple of weeks now before I have to name a squad for those two matches and they’re matches of great quality …. Germany and home to Holland so you know very much how my end is even more focused than it normally is A with regard to that squad and B even looking further ahead to see what could possibly happen between those games and the squad announcement I have to make by the 31st of May,”
Also speaking ahead of the competition, assistant coach for Italy, Angelo Alessio, said his team is ready for the challenge ahead.
“We are ready, full concentration, for this very important commitment. We are preparing every single thing and, even from now, we’re breathing a very European air, even if there are 100 days to go. They are 100 days during which to live and prepare in the best way possible.”