Remembering The Heysel Tragedy

The Heysel Disaster, a somber chapter in football history, continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the grave consequences of stadium safety negligence. Taking place on May 29, 1985, during the European Cup final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, this catastrophic event left an indelible mark on the sport and the lives of those involved.

That fateful night witnessed the loss of 39 lives, an event etched in the memories of those who were present at the stadium or watched the horror unfold on live television.

The events leading up to the final are well-documented. Following Liverpool's victory in the same competition the previous year, where they defeated Roma in Rome, violent clashes erupted in the Italian capital. A significant number of Liverpool fans sustained injuries from widespread knife attacks.

In response, some club rivalries in England were set aside as various hooligan factions joined forces and made their way to Belgium. Juventus would become the target of English hooliganism's vengeful elite.

Before the 1985 final, it was announced that this would be the last match held at the condemned stadium, which had been built some 60 years earlier. With minimal segregation and inadequate security measures in place, the ground was ill-suited to host a game of such magnitude.

Consequently, a large "neutral zone" was designated on one side of the ground. However, tickets were easily available outside the stadium, and it quickly became apparent that this so-called neutral area was filled with fans from both clubs.

A group of Liverpool fans surged across the terraces within this section, causing the Juventus supporters to retreat. Trapped with no clear exit, the Juve fans moved towards the perimeter wall, some attempting to climb over it. While many managed to escape, the wall crumbled under the force of the fleeing supporters. It was at this moment that the majority of the fatalities occurred: 39 lives lost, and another 600 people injured.

The true horror of the situation became apparent as the identities of the deceased were revealed. Contrary to the assumption that only Juventus Ultras were affected, families—including children—were among those who went to watch a football match and tragically never returned home.

May they always be remembered!

Rocco Acerra (29), Bruno Balli (50), Alfons Bos, Giancarlo Bruschera (21), Andrea Casula (11), Giovanni Casula (44), Nino Cerullo (24), Willy Chielens, Giuseppina Conto (17), Dirk Daenecky, Dionisio Fabbro (51), Jacques François, Eugenio Gagliano (35), Francesco Galli (25), Giancarlo Gonnelli (20), Alberto Guarini (21), Giovacchino Landini (50), Roberto Lorentini (31), Barbara Lusci (58), Franco Martelli (22), Loris Messore (28), Gianni Mastroiaco (20), Sergio Bastino Mazzino (38), Luciano Rocco Papaluca (38), Luigi Pidone (31), Benito Pistolato (50), Patrick Radcliffe, Domenico Ragazzi (44), Antonio Ragnanese (49), Claude Robert, Mario Ronchi (43), Domenico Russo (28), Tarcisio Salvi (49), Gianfranco Sarto (47), Amedeo Giuseppe Spolaore (55), Mario Spanu (41), Tarcisio Venturin (23), Jean Michel Walla, Claudio Zavaroni (28).

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