A brief ceremony was held in Brussels on Friday to mark the 35th anniversary of the tragedy at Heysel Stadium, with a small number of people attending because of social distance measures.
The tribute took place in front of the stadium, now known as the King Baudouin Stadium, with the presence of Brussels mayor Philippe Close and the UK and Italian ambassadors.
Flowers were placed in front of the plaque that bears the names of the 39 people, mostly Italians, who died after a riot between Liverpool and Juventus before the 1985 European Cup final.
“These victims will not be forgotten, this horrific incident has eradicated hooliganism in stadiums,” Close said.
Around 600 people have also been critically injured following a stampede by supporters in Liverpool.
The game went ahead, winning 1-0 at Juventus.
In the wake of the incident, UEFA banned the English clubs indefinitely from European competitions, returning in the 1990-91 season with Liverpool serving an additional one-year suspension. PDS PDS via AFP.
Although it is 35 years since today’s Heysel tragedy, Juventus says that it ‘continues to invoke the same, unchanged feeling within us: pain.’
The horrific incident took place on May 29, 1985, at Heysel Stadium in Belgium, before the Juve-Liverpool European Cup Final, when 39 football supporters-many of them Bianconero-were crushed to death.
“The word Heysel is one we’ll never forget,” the Bianconeri wrote on their official web site.
Meanwhile, next to their memorial outside Anfield this morning, the Reds have placed a floral wreath and are flying half-mast flags all day long.
Torino also showed solidarity with their rivals in the town, posting a tweet read: “United in prayers and memory.”
The Old Lady went on winning the Final 1-0 and lifting their first European Cup / Champions League, courtesy of a penalty from Michel Platin.
