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In the west the vast majority has turned conservative black, especially in Bavaria where Merz's conservative sister party, the CSU, dominates the landscape.

Bavaria was hit by an attack only three weeks ago, when a toddler and a man aged 41 were killed in a stabbing at a park in the town of Aschaffenburg.

Rodgers' pre-match wish was for the tie to still be "alive" when his side arrive in Bavaria next week.

He was chosen as candidate for chancellor ahead of Markus Söder, the leader of their sister party in Bavaria the Christian Social Union.

The conservative opposition leader tipped to lead Germany following next month's elections has promised far-reaching changes to border and asylum rules after a group of children were targeted in a deadly knife attack in Bavaria.