The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred during the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus in Brussels. A flimsy fence was breached by Liverpool fans after Italian fans threw missiles. 39 people died and English clubs were banned from UEFA competitions for six years.
The Heysel Stadium disaster was an event that took place during the 1985 European Cup Final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.
On 29 May 1985, Liverpool faced Juventus in the European Cup final. In a widely criticized move, the Belgian authorities had awarded part of the ground to neutral supporters. This was an idea opposed by Liverpool and Juventus, as it would have easily provided an arena for the fans who got tickets from Belgian touts off the pitch to clash.
A flimsy barbed wire fence had been erected to segregate the fans. After a hail of missiles from Italian fans inside the neutral area fell on Liverpool fans, Liverpool fans charged and breached the fence. In an effort to withdraw from the advancing England supporters, Juventus fans ran to the rear of the Western End, where a concrete wall blocked their retreat. The enormous load and pressure that came with the large numbers of people gathered proved too much for the Wall and it eventually gave way, falling squarely on the trapped Italian fans. 39 people (1 Belgian and 38 Italian) lost their lives.
Juventus then won the match 1-0.
As a direct result of this event, the Football Association banned English clubs from participating in UEFA competitions for six years. Some believe it was a move to avoid a heavier penalty from UEFA.
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