23.05.2015 21:26 h

Football: Juve pay tribute as Heysel anniversary looms

Juventus paid tribute to the 39 victims of the Heysel Stadium disaster as the Italian champions capped their final home game of the season with a 3-1 win over Napoli on Saturday.

The Heysel disaster occurred on May 29, 1985 when fans who were pressed against a collapsing wall of the Brussels stadium died before the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool.

Most of the victims were Juventus fans, and the supporters of Italy's most successful club in Serie A have not forgotten the disaster ahead of next week's 30th anniversary.

They unveiled a huge black banner during the game emblazoned with the number +39, underneath which was written Rispetto (Respect).

Above the banner, which covered almost the entire lower section of the Curva Sud, was another, smaller banner on which fans had written a heartfelt message to the victims and the families of the victims.

It read: "No one really dies, if they stay forever in hearts of those who remain."

The unveiling prompted a stadium-wide ovation which lasted over two minutes and even had the small section of the ground containing Napoli's supporters out of their seats.

Massimiliano Allegri's squad had paraded the Italian Cup trophy prior to the game, three days after a 2-1 final win over Lazio in Rome which allowed the Turin giants to secure their first double since 1995.

After the final whistle, Juventus, who fielded a second string side for their final home game of the season, celebrated their 31st league title in the middle of the park where the squad was called out one-by-one to receive their league winners' medals amid a tickertape celebration.

Allegri's men will now turn their attention to trying to secure their first ever treble when they meet Barcelona in the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6.

Inter Milan are Italy's last Champions League winners, the Nerazzurri completing the treble in 2010 under former coach Jose Mourinho when they defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 in Madrid.