The French national anthem will be played before all English top-flight games this weekend as a mark of solidarity over the Paris attacks, the Premier League announced on Thursday. It comes after fans joined together to sing 'La Marseillaise' prior to England's 2-0 friendly win over France at Wembley on Tuesday, four days on from the attacks that left 129 dead and over 350 injured.
"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," Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore said in a statement. "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." A choral version of the anthem will be played after the captains' coin toss while players from both teams stand with the match officials in the centre circle. The Paris attacks began with suicide bombings outside the Stade de France while France played Germany in a friendly, resulting in the deaths of three attackers and one bystander.
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