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France mark anniversary of terror attacks in Sweden clash

There will be a poignant mood at the Stade de France on Friday as Sweden visit France for a World Cup qualifier a year on from the Paris terror attacks.

France mark anniversary of terror attacks in Sweden clash
Sweden's footballers during a training session in Paris. Photo: AP Photo/Michel Euler

It was on Friday, November 13th, last year that France were playing Germany at the same stadium in a friendly when three suicide bombers blew themselves up immediately outside the ground.

A 63-year-old man, Manuel Dias, was killed by one of the explosions at the beginning of a night of terror around the French capital which killed 130 people and left hundreds injured.

“It was a tragic event but we must always look forward and try to turn the page, even if what happened will stay with us for the rest of our lives,” admitted France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris on Thursday.

There will be a minute's silence for the victims of the attack and French president Francois Hollande will be in attendance at the Stade de France for the 2018 World Cup qualifying fixture with the Swedes.

The two teams come into the match level on seven points after three games at the top of Group A, with only the group winners progressing automatically to the finals in Russia.

Euro 2016 runners-up France started with a goalless draw in Belarus but beat Bulgaria at home and the Netherlands away last month to get their campaign up and running.

France are the group favourites and a win will set them up nicely at the top of the section with their next match not until late March, in Luxembourg.

Sweden last visited the Stade de France as recently as June, when they drew 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland at the start of a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign.

Since then their all-time top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has retired from international football and Janne Andersson has been appointed coach.

They are in a period of transition but have so far drawn at home to the Netherlands and beaten both Luxembourg and Bulgaria.

“Zlatan took his decision to quit the national team a while ago and we had already prepared for the future,” said Andersson, 54.

“We have already played three matches, including against the Netherlands. We are going through a period of rebuilding but it is starting to bear fruit with our recent victories.”

Defenders Martin Olsson and Mikael Lustig and the striker Marcus Berg are all on the sidelines for Sweden.