No one should go to a football match and never come home.

The day Juventus won their first Champions League (European Cup) title was also a day of tragedy. 36 years ago in 1985, one hour before kick-off of the final between Juventus and Liverpool, chaos ensued in the stands. 

At the time of the final, violence and hooliganism were rampant in football, especially in English fan culture. Even though Block Z on the Liverpool end of the stadium was supposed to be for neutrals, tickets ended up getting sold mostly to Italian Juventus supporters. This placed the thousands of opposing fans right next to each other, separated by a weak barrier and a mere 8 police officers. When drunk, violent Liverpool supporters charged at Juventus supporters with weapons, it caused a panic in the crowd and led to a rampage that took the lives of 39 football fans and injured 600 more, most of whom were Juventus supporters. 

The aftermaths of this tragedy was a complete ban of all English teams to European competitions indefinitely, and 14 Liverpool fans were sent to prison. Stadiums began to take safety more seriously, banning standing at matches and adding seats so the atmosphere would be friendlier. Hooliganism was widely condemned and a more civilized form of support was encouraged. Football is a passion that transcends all, but it should enrich lives, not endanger them. 

The 29th May 1985 is a tragedy that continues to hurt even after 36 years. Today, just as then, and as every time we pronounce the word “Heysel”, our thoughts go to all the victims and their families of that unthinkable evening. 

We also remember Erika Pioletti and Marisa Amato, who passed away due to an incident on June 3rd, 2017 in Piazza San Carlo, Turin, when thousands of Juventus fans gathered to watch the Champions League Final between Juve and Real Madrid. 

As a tribute to the victims of these two tragedies, Juventus Academy Shanghai U16 players will play their final match of the season with black armbands to remember the precious lives lost. The memory remains alive within us all.

IN MEMORIAM

Rocco Acerra (29)

Bruno Balli (50)

Alfons Bos (35)

Giancarlo Bruschera (21)

Andrea Casula (11)

Giovanni Casula (44) 

Nino Cerullo (24)

Willy Chielens (41)

Giuseppina Conti (17)

Dirk Daenecky (38)

Dionisio Fabbro (51)

Jacques François (45)

Eugenio Gagliano (35)

Francesco Galli (24)

Giancarlo Gonnelli (20)

Alberto Guarini (21)

Giovacchino Landini (50)

Roberto Lorentini (31)

Barbara Lusci (58)

Franco Martelli (22)

Gianni Mastroiaco (20)

Sergio Bastino Mazzino (38)

Loris Messore (28)

Luciano Rocco Papaluca (38)

Luigi Pidone (31)

Benito Pistolato (50)

Patrick Radcliffe (38)

Domenico Ragazzi (44)

Antonio Ragnanese (49)

Claude Robert (27)

Mario Ronchi (43)

Domenico Russo (28)

Tarcisio Salvi (49)

Gianfranco Sarto (47)

Giuseppe Spalaore (55)

Mario Spanu (41)

Tarcisio Venturin (23)

Jean Michel Walla (32)

Claudio Zavaroni (28)

& 

Erika Pioletti 

Marisa Amato