England v France (Respect)

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Roy expects respect for France (November 17 2015)

Roy Hodgson expects England fans to respect the various tributes to their French opponents ahead of Tuesday's friendly between the sides.

The teams will meet just four days after the terrorist attacks in Paris which saw 129 people lose their lives.

A minute's silence will be observed before kick-off and black armbands will be worn by the players and officials.

The Wembley arch will also be lit up in the red, white and blue colours of the French tricolore, just as it has been in recent days.

In addition, the words of La Marseillaise - France's national anthem - will be put on the big screens inside the stadium for anyone who wishes to sing along before the game.

People attending the match have been encouraged to get to the stadium early because extra security measures - which will include armed police being on patrol - will be in place.

Once supporters are inside the venue, Hodgson hopes they will observe the rituals being carried out.

He said: "We hope the ceremonies will be respected".
"If there's one thing that I truly wish for, it is that we show the respect I'd expect every single Englishman to show."

England captain Wayne Rooney will present a floral tribute to France skipper Hugo Lloris before kick-off.

Rooney feels the fact the match is taking place will send a clear and defiant message to terrorists.

"I'm happy the game's on," Rooney said. "It shows France wants to show these terrorists they're standing strong against them and we have to support that.

"[Tuesday] will be a great night of togetherness for everyone to see, for the terrorists to see the world will go on and stand against them."

The FA is expecting a near-capacity crowd of almost 90,000 at Wembley. Fewer than 100 tickets have been returned since the attacks, with thousands more sold.

Kensington Palace confirmed on Monday that the Duke of Cambridge will be one of those in attendance.

The FA have said there is "no specific intelligence" about an attack at the friendly similar to the ones that occurred outside the Stade de France on Friday.

Chief executive Martin Glenn added: "There is a physical presence now around Wembley. It's safe anyway."

[Part-Timer]

I hope the English fans sing La Marseillaise with gusto. No French fan but enough is enough.

Allons, enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
Contre nous, de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes!

Aux armes, citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons!

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Yes PT ..

I'm sure tonight will show the togetherness, of what is felt all over the world against those atrocity's in Paris

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Dele Alli enjoyed a stunning full debut as England beat France 2-0 on a night of tears, compassion and defiance at Wembley

The 19-year-old Tottenham midfielder found the top corner with a stunning 24-yard strike and played a key role in Wayne Rooney's second-half volley.

England's ninth straight Wembley victory was an impressive one that came against a star-studded France side.

But the real winner here at Wembley was football.

Just four days after 129 people died in the Paris terror attacks, the France team and their English counterparts, as well as the home and away fans inside this famous stadium, stood shoulder to shoulder to send a defiant message to the terrorists who wreaked havoc in the French capital.

Not even the news that Germany's friendly against Holland had been cancelled, due to the threat of a terrorist attack, could dampen the spirit of defiance at Wembley.

England supporters have had their critics down the years - just last month they were fighting with their Lithuanian counterparts in the stands in Vilnius - but on Tuesday they did not let their nation down.

All the words and pronunciations may not have been spot on, but they joined in with the singing of La Marseillaise before kick-off.

There was a show of unity on the pitch, too. The teams broke ranks and mixed together and stood arm in arm for the cameras.

It was a moving gesture of strength and defiance - one that drew a standing ovation from the crowd.
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The supporters, many of them holding up 'Pray for Paris' placards, remained on their feet for an impeccably observed minute's silence.

With 'Allez Les Bleus' reverberating around the stadium, the French tried to give back something to their fans.

They started well.

Yohan Cabaye struck just over a stretching Joe Hart and had Gary Cahill not put in a last-ditch tackle, the Crystal Palace man would have had a clear shot from six yards.

But France, perhaps with the occasion getting to them, started to fade.

Rooney, restored to the starting line-up, was keen to make an impact. He sent Laurent Koscielny into a dizzy haze with a charging run, but then shot narrowly wide.

Alli had no such problems hitting the target. The Tottenham midfielder put in a crunching tackle to win the ball and exchanged passes with Rooney before driving the ball into the far corner past a diving Hugo Lloris. The ball took a slight deflection off Koscielny but it was going in any way. Kane knew. He was celebrating before the ball hit the net.

Alli played a key role in the second goal three minutes after the restart.

Despite his slight frame, Alli knocked Juventus star Paul Pogba off the ball and fed it to Raheem Sterling on the left. The winger delivered a perfect cross to Rooney at the back post and he volleyed into the net through Lloris' fingers.

Lassana Diarra, whose cousin died in the Paris attacks, received a standing ovation when he came on.

Pogba backheeled into Anthony Martial's path, but substitute Jack Butland saved the Manchester United forward's shot and France offered little else in the last 20 minutes.

The friendly may have been over as a contest, but still the French flags waved high up in the stands, still 'Allez Les Bleus' could be heard in the stands.

The French had been defeated but they were still successful in delivering their message of defiance to the terrorists.

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Sagna moved by Wembley tribute

English supporters joined in the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, on Tuesday night, singing along to the words displayed on big screens, while one end of the stadium held up cards to form the colours of the Tricolore.

Players from both teams mixed together for pre-match photos in a show of unity and then stood round the centre circle as a minute's silence was impeccably observed before kick-off.

England went on to win the match 2-0, with Dele Alli and Wayne Rooney scoring the goals, but the real victors were the French players, who mustered a brave performance, just four days after the horrific events in their capital city.

"I had tears in my eyes," Sagna said.

"Inevitably, like everyone. I am French and when something happens to the French people, it happens to me.

"Everything that happened on Friday will stay with us for a long time. Tomorrow, a week's time, a year's time, we will never forget what happened last Friday."

Sagna added: "After everything that had happened, we had to keep holding our heads high.

"Despite all the difficult things that had happened, we were ready to fight, to give everything.

"On Tuesday night we wanted to win for the people of France. Unfortunately, we lost but it was more than about just a match."

Many England fans were seen holding French flags and wearing T-shirts with messages of support, while the iconic Wembley arch was lit up in red, white and blue, with France's national motto 'Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite' displayed across the entrance.

At the end of the match, the French players applauded fans in a show of gratitude and Sagna was left in no doubt that it had been the correct decision to play the fixture.

"Although it can't put a smile back on the faces of the French people, this was the least we could do: to try and give all we could in support of the families of the victims," Sagna said.

"Honestly, yes it was hard to prepare. This was about more than just a football match.

"We were just a little part in a bigger show of strength. But we had trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating. We struggled to focus.

"But, by playing, we were sending out a bigger message. Football is a big part of all our lives, and part of our society, but there are far more important things in life than football."

France midfielder Lassana Diarra, whose cousin, Asta Diakite, was one of those killed in the Paris attacks, was given a standing ovation when he came on as a substitute in the 57th minute.

"He kept his head high, has smiled and has spoken to us all," Sagna said of Diarra.

"He tried to get close to everyone. I've lost someone close to me in my family and it's never easy. But he responded like the professional he is."