Sydney FC striker Alessandro Del Piero has admitted rejecting an approach from Liverpool out of respect for victims of the Heysel disaster.

Juventus and Liverpool were today marking the 27th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster which claimed the lives of 39 supporters prior to the 1985 European Cup final.

ENGLAND are being lined up for a friendly game in the Aviva Stadium early next year.

UEFA president Michel Platini admits he was “shocked” by the ugly scenes involving Serbia fans in Italy on Tuesday which caused the Euro 2012 qualifying match between the two countries to be abandoned.

STUDY the GAA for long enough and you will realise that the fuel which runs the organisation is trust.

THE GAA leadership resorted to a form of shock treatment at the opening session of annual Congress in Newcastle, Co. Down last night with the showing of a video highlighting the dangers of pitch invasions to launch a campaign aimed at stamping out the practice and avoiding a Heysel Stadium or Hillsborough-type tragedy.

FOOTBALL fans flying into Istanbul ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League final faced tightened security yesterday, with immigration officials demanding to see match tickets as well as passports and visas.

Former Liverpool great Bruce Grobbelaar feels the Kop will make all the difference tonight in their Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea at Anfield.

Clubs could be deducted points or even kicked out of Europe in a throwback to Heysel under a new get-tough policy starting next season, UEFA announced today.

ITALY’S media praised Liverpool supporters for their tributes to the victims of the Heysel tragedy, while criticising the behaviour of a section of Juventus fans at Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final at Anfield.

Liverpool 2 Juventus 1

It took a post-match walk round the devastated Heysel Stadium for Ronnie Whelan to truly understand the horror that preceded a match he wishes had never taken place.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez predicts his side will overcome Juventus to reach the Champions League semi-finals, as the two clubs vowed to use the opportunity of their meeting to mark the 20th anniversary of the Heysel disaster.

The Heysel Stadium disaster took place on May 29, 1985 before the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus.

If David O’Leary had picked up a newspaper to wile away the journey as he crossed the Irish Sea to join Arsenal as a callow and coltish teenager exactly 28 years ago tomorrow it’s a fair bet the back page headlines would have been all about Leeds United.