Last update April 14, 2023 by colgadosporelfutbol
The 29 May 1985 is marked in black in football history. The place, Stadium Heysel in in Brussels, a place that was the scene of one of the worst tragedies in football history. Juventus and Liverpool faced each other in the final of the old European Cup. But unfortunately and due to the terrible thing that happened, that was the least.
The Heysel Tragedy, black history of european football
During the final of the European Cup between the Liverpool and Juventus, a confrontation between the two fans ended in a human avalanche that resulted in the death of 39 people and left hundreds of people injured.
The tragedy was unleashed when Liverpool fans, that occupied the northern area of the stadium, started throwing objects at Juventus fans in the south zone, which showed a chain reaction that resulted in a human avalanche. In his attempt to escape the violence, the Juventus fans rushed towards the wall that separated the two fans, that gave way and dozens of people fell into the void.
The result was a tragedy that shocked the football world and led UEFA to take drastic measures to improve stadium security.. Liverpool was excluded from European competitions for six years and 14 Club supporters were sentenced for their role in the riots.
for more inri, This happened just a few days after the 'Valley Parade Tragedy‘, another of the darkest moments in the history of English football.
Possible incompetence of the authorities
“There were many police officers outside but none inside. They did not think that English fans could cause incidents inside when they had already done it before. They also closed the exit doors., fact that caused the tragedy.” This is how it was expressed to the original magazine Don Balon in 1995, a surviving Italian fan Heysel's tragedy 10 years after it.
And it is that there are not a few Italian fans who declared that the Belgian authorities of the time, they had not risen to the occasion.
A tragedy not to forget
The Heysel Tragedy It was not only a dark moment in football history, it was also a reminder of the importance of stadium security and the need to prevent violence between fans. Since then, measures have been taken to improve security in the stadiums, including the separation of rival fans, the inclusion of seated locations and the improvement in access control systems among many other things that modernity has been demanding.
From Heysel to King Baudouin
Own heisel stadium was first reformed in 1995 for the Euro year 2000 which was disputed jointly between Belgium and the Netherlands. It was headquarters of the final of the Cup Winners' Cup 1996.
The stadium, which is now called King Baudouin Stadium, it was renovated and modernized several times since the tragedy. At present, It is the home of the Belgium National Team and has hosted important sporting events besides football, the King Baudouin Stadium is also used for concerts and other mass events. In 2017, a music concert was held in tribute to the victims of the Heysel tragedy.
Although Heysel's tragedy remains a dark moment in football history, the stadium has managed to reinvent itself and remain an important venue for sport and culture in Europe.
