Liverpool unveil new memorial to Heysel Stadium tragedy on 41st anniversary

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Liverpool have unveiled a new memorial on the 41st anniversary of the Heysel Stadium tragedy to the 39 fans who died.Representatives from Juventus, Liverpool’s opponents in the 1985 European Cup final, attended the unveiling ceremony at Anfield on Friday along with the Liverpool ambassador Ian Rush and the chief executive, Billy Hogan. Entitled Forever Bound, the memorial is in a more prominent location behind the Anfield Road Stand and replaces the original plaque on the wall of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, which was felt to be inadequate.The sculpture features a Juventus scarf and a Liverpool scarf entwined in bronze, a dedication to the date and location of the tragedy and the names of the 39 supporters who died at Heysel – 32 from Italy, four from Belgium, two from France and one from Northern Ireland.

Italian marble was used for the memorial, which was proposed last year by the Liverpool supporters’ board and the supporters’ union Spirit of Shankly.Rush, who played in the 1985 European Cup final and later joined Juventus, said: “Today is a deeply moving moment. The thought and respect that has gone into Forever Bound is something I’m incredibly proud of and I hope it brings comfort to those still affected by this tragedy.”Hogan was part of a Liverpool delegation that attended the unveiling of Juventus’s new memorial to the victims of Heysel in Turin last year.

Liverpool’s CEO said of Forever Bound: “This memorial is a symbol of shared remembrance, of unity and the bond formed between Liverpool and Juventus. We are honoured to welcome our friends from Juventus to Anfield today and we stand together in solidarity and memory of the 39 supporters who tragically lost their lives at Heysel.