The referee in charge of France's friendly clash with Germany at the Stade de France on Friday has told of the "very difficult moments" experienced by those at the stadium that was targeted by several explosions.
Thunderous noises were heard in the second half of the fixture, which saw fans temporarily urged to remain in the confines of the stadium following reports of shootings and a hostage situation in Paris, as well as loud explosions taking place close to the ground.
Reports later emerged of two suicide attempts near to the Stade de France, while a bomb is also thought to have gone off at one of the exits of the French stadium, reportedly killing three people.
"We had no idea about what was going on until after the game had ended," referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz told AS after the incident.
"We have all been through some very difficult moments, moments of great uncertainty because at first, we were told that we were not allowed to leave the stadium but now things are a little calmer.
"This is a very troubling, tough moment and I don't really feel like speaking right now. We found out about what was happening through the press who were attending the game and the television."
The game continued for the full 90 minutes despite the situation, as France earned a 2-0 victory over Die Mannschaft.
Christopher Dodd
