Managers offer condolences ahead of Aviva Stadium minute’s silence for Paris victims

By Stephen Barry and Shaun Cronin

A minute’s silence will be observed before Ireland’s decisive Euro 2016 play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Aviva Stadium in memory of the victims of the Paris attacks.

Sporting events across the continent have been paying silent tribute to those suffering as a result of Friday night’s attacks, and managers of both Ireland and Bosnia added their sympathies.

A football match at the Stade de France was one of the terrorists’ targets but Martin O’Neill hasn’t thought about any reluctance over the game.

“I don’t feel uneasy about the game. The events in Paris were horrendous. It puts a lot of things into perspective, including football matches,” he said.

“I’m hoping that the stadium is well policed and hoping that we’ll be OK.

“I hadn’t thought about that (unease about the game), it was more the thought about the events in Paris itself.”

OFFICIAL: All UEFA games in coming days will have black armbands and a minute's silence following events in Paris pic.twitter.com/GtgbSqsMhd

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) November 14, 2015

Bosnia’s Mehmed Bazdarevic, who lives near Strasbourg, began his pre-match press conference by adding his condolences to all those affected by the attacks:

“Before I start, I just want to say a few words about the sad events in France, about the people who were killed.

“Our thoughts are with the French people, especially myself, because I live there and I know the situation, so our thoughts are with them.”

Players and officials line up for a minute’s silence over the terrorist attacks in Paris during the European Rugby Champions Cup match between Leinster Rugby and Wasps at the RDS today. Picture: Ian Walton/Getty Images