Thirty years have passed since Heysel. Juventus Football Club remembers the victims of the tragedy on this sad day

29 May 1985, the saddest day in our history.

It was supposed to be a day of excitement, celebration and tension on the pitch. It became a tragedy.

Thirty-nine innocent people lost their lives that night. Thirty-nine families were forever afflicted by a pain we can’t even imagine.

What happened that night is etched in the memories of football fans everywhere. Those who there in Brussels, those sat watching on television but also those were too young or perhaps hadn’t even been born yet.

Thirty years have gone by and now we can only cling to their memory. Juventus will do so by joining the Association of Families Affected by Heysel for a church service, which will be held at 19.30 CEST at Turin’s Gran Madre di Dio church. The first team squad, coaching staff and management will all be in attendance.

Juventus will also be a part of the public ceremony in Brussels, represented by J-Museum president Paolo Garimberti and Sergio Brio.

Gianluca Pessotto and Massimo Bonini meanwhile will attend the service in Liverpool on behalf of the club.

This article will remain the top story throughout the day on Juventus.com, while the cover photos of our social media accounts and our only post on Facebook will be in memory of the victims.

The rest will be silence.
To honour their memory.
To try and bring comfort to their families.
To stress once again the hope that the vile abuse to which they have been subjected for many years stops once and for all.
To make it clear that a similar act of madness must not be repeated.
Never again.

Source: juventus.com

he defender provides a progress report on the Bianconeri’s build-up for next Saturday’s Champions League final: “We’ll give 150 per cent and remain alert to every minute detail”

Angelo Ogbonna says the Bianconeri will leave no stone unturned in their bid to overcome Barcelona and conquer Europe in next weekend’s Champions League final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

While the Catalan giants can count on the individual talents of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, the Italian centre-back is backing Juventus to do their talking through thorough preparation and collective spirit.

Speaking exclusively to Jtv, the 27-year-old began: “We’re fully aware that Barcelona are a great team but we’ll give 150 per cent out there and will be alert to every minute detail.

“We’ll endeavour to bring out all our potential and I think the most predominant message we’ve sent out throughout this campaign is that our strength lies in the collective.”

Tasting glory in June’s final would represent the icing on the cake of a wonderful campaign for the Bianconeri, a season which Ogbonna believes began to pick up serious pace with January’s triumph over Napoli at the San Paolo.

“We’ve won a Scudetto that we’ve been after since the start of the season – a big aim of ours. And then there was the Coppa Italia, that we lifted after a 20-year absence, by playing a great final and a fantastic semi in Florence against Fiorentina. Perhaps that was the true turning point of our season, alongside the away victory over Napoli.”

For now, though, the Bianconeri will team their workload for Berlin with preparations for this Saturday, when they end their Serie A campaign against Hellas Verona at the Bentegodi.

“Our preparations for 6 June are already underway. It’s important for us to put in a good performance in Verona, both in terms of signing off our league campaign in the best possible way and continuing our journey towards the Champions League final.”

Source: juventus.com

The Bianconeri take part in a morning training session at Juventus Center. Before leaving for the Bentegodi tomorrow, the players will attend a holy mass dedicated to the 39 victims of the Heysel disaster

With around 48 hours until the Bianconeri step out onto the Bentegodi pitch for their final Serie A encounter of the season against Hellas Verona, Massimiliano Allegri’s troops arrived at Juventus Center earlier to step up their preparations during a morning training session.

The boss is leaving no stone unturned as he gears his players up not only for the upcoming domestic encounter, but also next weekend’s Champions League final against Barcelona at the Olympiastadion.

After beginning with a workout based on fitness and technique, the sitting then shifted its focus to tactics as the Bianconeri were led through a variety of moves to be replicated in Verona.

Friday will see the players return to Vinovo to conduct a final afternoon training session, with Allegri due to meet the media beforehand for his customary pre-match press conference at 12.00 CEST.

Ahead of departure for Verona tomorrow evening, the players and coaching staff, together with the club’s hierarchy and the Association for the Families of Heysel victims, will attend a holy mass at Turin’s Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio at 19.30.

The service is dedicated to the 39 victims who lost their lives during the Heysel disaster on 29 May 1985.

Source:  juventus.com

The 33-year-old has been named referee for the Bianconeri’s final Serie A encounter of the season at the Marcantonio Bentegodi

Marco Di Bello has been named referee for Juventus’ final Serie A encounter of the season: Saturday’s trip to face Hellas Verona at the Marcantonio Bentegodi.

The 33-year-old, who hails from Brindisi, is to take charge of only his second Bianconeri fixture in all competitions, having run the rule over March’s 1-0 league victory versus Genoa in Turin.

Di Bello will be supported in Verona by assistant referees Andrea Crispo and Alberto Tegoni, goal-line officials Paolo Tagliavento and Filippo Merchiori and fourth official Valerio Pegorin.