After Robert Enke was laid to rest at an emotional funeral service inside Hannover's Niedersachsen Stadion yesterday, football in Germany is slowly trying to return to normality.

First on the agenda is Wednesday's international friendly with the Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen.

Coach Joachim Low and his squad moved into their base in Dusseldorf yesterday afternoon after attending the moving ceremony in preparation for the midweek game after last Saturday's friendly against Chile was called off as a mark of respect for Enke.

The Bundesliga then recommences next weekend after a two-week international break, although that may still be too soon for Enke's team mates at Hannover to return to normality.

They carried his coffin in and out of the Niedersachsen Stadion yesterday and they have been told by the manager of opponents Schalke, Felix Magath, that he would willingly call off the game if they do not feel ready.

"We want to try and deal as normally as possible with this sensitive situation and we will leave it entirely up to Hannover to decide what they want to do," he told the Bild newspaper.

He has already approached Hannover officials to propose a postponement of the game.

Not only do Hannover have to get over the emotional loss, but their team must also cope with the absence of a man who was arguably their best player, and their captain.

"For many seasons, he saved us from relegation. His reactions and his spectacular saves earned us many points," said club president Martin Kind at yesterday's service.

"From here, he was able to reach the highest possible aim of a professional footballer by becoming the goalkeeper of the national team.

"As captain of Hannover, or in Low's team, he only had friends. Friends of his honesty and warm-heartedness."

Enke, who took his life last Tuesday, will be remembered again in a video shown before Germany's game against the Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen's Arena AufSchalke on Wednesday, which is the same stadium where Hannover are due to play their first game since his passing away next Saturday.