New Juve stadium to feature Heysel memorial
MILAN - Juventus will create a memorial at their new stadium to remember the victims of Heysel, their club president said on the 25th anniversary of the disaster.
Juve held a memorial service at their club headquarters and a Turin church on Saturday.
Thirty-nine people, mainly Italians, died at the stadium in Brussels when a wall collapsed after Liverpool fans charged Juventus supporters before the 1985 European Cup final, which was won 1-0 by Juve.
"In the new stadium we are building there will be a place dedicated to the victims of that night who are always in our hearts," Juve president Andrea Agnelli told the audience of current and ex-Juve players and dignitaries.
Their new stadium is set for completion next year.
UEFA president Michel Platini, who scored the goal for Juve that night and was criticised at the time for celebrating, told of the pain he still feels.
"On that far away spring day I was a player who had not yet turned 30, happy go lucky, like many supporters who on that day made it to Brussels for the love of Juve and who unfortunately never returned, having been ripped away from their loved ones that cursed night," the Frenchman said.
"As UEFA president I can assure everyone that it is my responsibility and I have total commitment to make sure such tragedies never happen again."
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Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow was also in attendance at the Turin service.
"I am here for three reasons - remembrance, respect and resolution," he said.
English clubs were banned from European competition for five years after the disaster.