European Champions Cup. All upsets happened in the first round: VfB Stuttgart was eliminated by Bulgarian Levski-Spartak (for a second consecutive year), Feyenoord lost to Panathinaikos, and Aberdeen – to Dynamo East Berlin. Those were the surprising results of the whole tournament, the rest was a matter of the jokes of the draw: Athletic Bilbao was eliminated in the first round by Girondens Bordeaux. In the second round Benfica lost to Liverpool and Dynamo East Berlin to Austria Vienna. In the ¼ finals nothing out of ordinary happened and Juventus, Girondens Bordeuax, Liverpool, and Panathinaikos reached the semi-finals. The draw was ‘fair’ this time and the strongest teams were paired with the weaker. Thus, Juventus eliminated Girondens Bordeaux 3-0 and 0-2, and Liverpool disposed of Panathinaikos 4-0- and 1-0. The finalists were strong all the way: Liverpool, having somewhat easier opponents, lost only one match (the away leg to Benfica) and Juventus – 2 (the away legs to Sparta Prague and Girondens Bordeaux). By all accounts, the strongest teams in Europe were going to meet, promising a great clash, if not great football. Liverpool, with all its Eurpopean success was seen as the likelier winner.
The ill-fated final is so well known and so much was written about it, that there is no reason to go again to it – it was more than shame, it was mass murder and the game should have been canceled. But it was not, adding more shame to it.
Captains shook hands, meantime dead and injured bodies were carried of the stadium.
The match went on, tough as predicted, but somewhat without spark.
Which was the better team – no, what happened on the field – was somewhat lost because of the tragedy on the stands.
Juventus got a penalty in the 56th minute and Platini scored. 1-0 Juventus and it was the final result, as it happened.
Final, Heysel Stadium, Bruxelles, 29 May 1985, att 58000
Juventus (0) 1 Liverpool (0) 0
56′ 1-0 J: Platini (pen)
Juventus (trainer Trapattoni)
Tacconi; Favero, Cabrini, Brio, Scirea; Bonini, Platini, Tardelli; Briaschi (Prandelli 84), Rossi (Vignola 89), Boniek
Liverpool (trainer Fagan)
Grobbelaar; Neal, Beglin, Lawrenson (Gillespie 4), Hansen; Nicol, Dalglish, Whelan, Wark; Rush, Walsh (Johnson 46)
Referee: Daina (Switzerland)
Some smiles were on display after the final whistle,
Juventus got the Cup,
and made the customary round of honour, but it was feast in the time of plague.
What remained of this final was not the game, but big titles and long accusatory articles on the disaster. Football was mentioned rather briefly. It was a shame, it was wrong to play the game at all, later players, coaches, officials expressed their sorry views. The tragedy was at the level of the ill-famed Altamont concert of the Rollingstones, and no matter what regrets players and musicians expressed later, there was bitter taste. ‘The show must go on’, was seemingly the motto, but now the show was macabre and it was difficult to believe that the participants learned about murder only too late – all was happening right in front of their eyes. And in the same time it was difficult to say what could have happened if the teams refused to play – just like the Stones in 1969: the fears that violence will only escalate and spill into Brussels were valid. There was no right decision… it was just terrible.
Liverpool lost. Top, left to right: Ian Rush, Jim Beglin, Kenny Dalglish, Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen, Bruce Grobbelaar, Bottom, left to right: John Wark, Ronnie Whelan, Paul Walsh, Phil Neal, Steve Nicol.
Perhaps it was only fair that Liverpool lost the final – views differ, but the violence of the English fans was too much and they were blamed for starting and escalating the shameful and murderous disaster. Apart from that, many in both England and continental Europe were glad Liverpool lost. Particularly in England grumbling against Liverpool was going on for quite some time – their dominance was seen as violating the holly English game, changing it into some ‘continental’ version with unbeatable superclub on top. To this was added the essentially foreign nature of Liverpool – it was counted, accusingly, that at the final with Juventus Liverpool featured only 2 English players: Phil Neal and Paul Walsh. As for how good this vintage was, it will remain somewhat open question: the team above somehow does not look as strong as some previous versions, but Liverpool had this uncanny and unmatched ability to have mighty squads, gradually changing some of the players with new stars. Because of the banishment , it is impossible to measure Liverpool to the foreign clubs after 1985, but their dominance in England continued to the end of the decade.
Historic and long waited victory of Juventus, but overshadowed by the disaster and there was no way to be trumpeted and thoroughly enjoyed – too many coffins had to be buried. It was ironic that Juventus had to ‘celebrate’ its first European Champions Cup in such a way: no matter what Juventus did, so far the most successful Italian club was left far behind Milan and Inter. Turin was left behind Milan. At last, they won, but in such way that is was hardly victory. “Enemies” were quick to suggest, that Liverpool did not play in earnest at the final and Juventus was not really that good – they had miserable Italian season after all. True to a point – Juventus was looking for a change, Boniek was going to be replaced and it did not matter he just become European champion. Like Liverpool, Juventus seemingly had better rounded and stronger squads in the past. But these squads were losing finals, if reaching them at all, and this one won. No argument against that. Europe had new cup winner, but it was final best forgotten and never mentioned again, so this Juventus squad is not mentioned and praised often.