‘Forgive and forget? Many in Turin can never forgive and few will ever forget. Imagine yourself in their shoes, burying a father or son, a brother or lover, and it is easy to understand the enduring bitterness both of those who suffered a personal loss at Heysel and of the wider Juventus community. Irrational though it may be to hate, and hold responsible, every Liverpudlian, every Englishman, it is equally understandable. Who among us, in all honesty, can say they would feel otherwise?
‘If serious trouble appeared to be largely averted during the game this was more through lack of opportunity than lack of desire or skilled policing. The banners told the story. Some were provocative (Reds. Animals! English shite), some bitter but thoughtful (Easy to speak, difficult to pardon: murders), some humorous (You are more ugly than Camilla). And some chilling (15-4-89. Sheffield. God exists). This last being a reference to the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool supporters died.
‘The first incident came overnight when a Liverpool fan suffered minor head injuries after a pre-meditated attack in Turin. A group of around 20 Juventus "Ultras", accompanied by young women to avoid detection by the strong police presence, were said to have toured the city's bars looking for Liverpool fans. When they found them, the women left and the Ultras covered their faces with black and white scarves before attacking the fans.
‘By the time the focus shifted to the stadium the reality was that, for many, this was about revenge. Outside the ground tear gas was fired as police struggled to keep home fans from attacking the Liverpool support.
‘Inside, before the game and during the interval, Ultras threw seats and plastic bottles filled with water, or worse, into the pens housing Liverpool fans without any sanction from stewards or police. Several supporters needed medical treatment after being hit. Others, once they realised the police were not taking action, enthusiastically threw the missiles back. Liverpool's own stewards largely looked on, seemingly intent, like the home authorities, on preventing any direct confrontation.’