The Liverpool fans fear revenge
08.04: Fears are growing that next week’s Champions League tie between Juventus and Liverpool could be marred by violence. A third of Liverpool’s ticket allocation have still to be taken up, as concern mounts that fan trouble could occur before the two teams meet in Italy for the first time since the Heysel Stadium disaster. The directors of the two clubs attempted to build bridges on Tuesday with numerous initiatives before the game at Anfield. But the Italian Juventus supporters turned their backs on a ‘friendship’ banner, after 39 fans died in Brussels prior to the 1985 European Cup Final between the two sides. A spokesman of the Liverpool Independent Supporters Association expressed that talk of Juventus fans looking for revenge is unsettling. He just hopes that Liverpool fans aren't allowed into the city centre on the day of the game and that they are taken in on buses in the evening. Liverpool have been given 3,600 tickets for the match but some supporters are expected to travel independently to Italy.
While affordability is an issue for many fans, others are concerned about potential reprisals from Juventus supporters. A rogue element has vowed to take revenge for the 1985 Heysel stadium disaster, when rioting led to a wall collapsing and the deaths of 39 people. Every ticket that is acquired through official channels includes information reminding fans of where and where not to move in Turin. However, that is standard procedure for European matches and Liverpool haven’t up to now taken any extra measures to step up security for the return leg. A spokesman for UEFA told that they are always concerned about safety and security for any game, so they always apply very strict rules in terms of ticketing and safety conditions in the stadium. UEFA are awaiting contact with the local police forces.