UK: LIVERPOOL AND JUVENTUS PRAISED FOR HANDLING OF EMOTIONAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH.

Record ID: 647109

  • Title: UK: LIVERPOOL AND JUVENTUS PRAISED FOR HANDLING OF EMOTIONAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH.
  • Date: 5th April 2005
  • Summary: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 6, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LIVERPOOL ANFILED GROUND 2. UEFA AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAGS FLYING ON MAST 3. STATUE OF LIVERPOOL LEGEND BILL SHANKLY 4. INTERIOR LIVERPOOL MUSEUM, SHIRTS ON GLASS CABINET 5. HEYSEL MEMORIAL PLAQUE 6. LIVERPOOL 1995 EUROPEAN CUP SHIRT ON GLASS FRAME ON WALLL NEAR JUVENTUS PENNANT 7. CLOSE UP 1995 LIVERPOOL SHIRT, LIVERPOOL V JUVENTUS MATCH PROGRAMME 8. JUVENTUS PENNANT 9. VISITORS LOOK AT SHIRT 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FAN SAYING: "It was a long time ago. So, football has moved on in the last 20 years. It was a terrible tragedy at the time but with safer stadium and different attitude of supporters these days, safer stadiums, I am sure we are going to see a good game of football trough and in the return leg as well." 11. LIVERPOOL SCARVES IN CLUB SHOP 12. CUSTOMER LOOKS AT SCARVES 13. CUSTOMER HOLDS LIVERPOOL AND JUVENTIS SCARVE 14. JUVENTUS SCARF WITH LIVERPOOL MOTO WORDS "YOU NEVER WALK ALONE" WRITTEN IN ITALIAN# 11. JUVENTUS AND LIVERPOLOL HUG EACH OTHER, SHAKE HANDS 12. POLICE ESCORINTG ITALIAN FANS 13. LIVERPOOL FANS LOOK ON 14. JUVENTUS FANS SINGING, RAISING ARMS 15. LIVERPOOL FANS GETTING TO GROUND 16. JUVENTUS AND LIVERPOOL FANS SHAKING HANDS 17. CHILDREN DRESSED IN LIVERPOOL AND JUVENTUS SHIRTS GREETING EACH OTHER 18. WOMEN SUPPORTERS 19. WOMAN READING MAGAZINE WITH PAGE OPEN WITH TITLE "FRIENDSHIP" 20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL FAN SAYING: "Yes, the time to apologise in some people's eyes is the thing to do. In my own personal opinion, apologies have been done, apology has been said. I don't think we really needed but in the political age, apology seems to be the right thing to do 21. TEAM BUS ARRIVES AT GROUND, FANS CHEERING AT GATE 22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAN SAYING: "Just football, that's it, peace, just football 23. JUVENTUS COACH FABIO CAPELLO AT SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM 24. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) JUENTUS COACH FABIO CAPELLO SAYING: "Well yes in the first half hour we did not really play. I really meant that, we did not play. The doubts I had yesterday in the sense that I was worried about not having played for so long was apparent in that first half hour and this did go against us. We were not really fast enough for them. We were unlucky that there were three attempts at goal by Liverpool and only two actual goals. The reaction of the team though after all of this was great. They were much more aggressive and much faster." 25. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR SOUND SPEAKER 26. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER RAFAEL BENITEZ SAYING: "I am happy, I am delighted with the first half and disappointed with the goal and with the second half maybe. But in the endof the game, I think we had a good game against a good team." 27. REPORTERS 28. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BENITEZ EXPLAINING WHY SCOTT CARSON REPLACED JERZY DUDEK IN GOAL, SAYING: "I decided because I have been talking with Jerzy and Jerszy said that he had not confidence and we decided to use Scott. It's because Jerzy said he feels a little of pain, it would be better to use a golakeeper fit, one hundred per cent fit." 29. REPORTERS TAKING NOTES 30. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BENITEZ TRALKING ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MATCH 20 YEARS AFTER HEYSEL DISASTER SAYING: "In think we have seen a very good game and I say before: it's the best thingh that we can do to help the families to play a good game without problems and I think we had done that." 31. BENITEZ STANDS UP AND STARTS TO LEAVE NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th April 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAC71Q2RANKIFKVE9ZDZXF3693I
  • Story Text: Liverpool and Juventus praised for handling of
    emotional Champions League match.



    Liverpool and Juventus were praised by UEFA for the
    way they handled their poignant Champions League
    quarter-final first leg on Tuesday (April 5).

    Deputy chief executive Markus Studer, among the
    official UEFA party at the first meeting of the two clubs
    since the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 when 39 mainly
    Italian fans died, said the organisation was just right, it
    was perfect.

    "Liverpool must be applauded for the way they handled
    the arrangements and the fans of both clubs understood the
    message. There was not a hint of trouble in the stadium,
    there was a fantastic atmosphere and both clubs must be
    praised. It was a very successful night for European
    football."
    Studer said the huge mosaic created before the kickoff
    by Liverpool fans at the Kop end holding up red, white and
    black coloured cards that spelt the word "Amicizia" -
    Italian for friendship -- was particularly touching.

    "That was a very nice gesture and the Juventus fans
    warmly appreciated it. The whole match was played in a
    perfect atmosphere and the night was handled in the right
    way," he said.

    Most Juve fans applauded the gesture, but not all of
    them seemed to appreciate the message of reconciliation.

    Some turned their backs on the display and the
    simmering animosity means there could be some hostility for
    the return leg in Turin next Wednesday - especially if Juve
    cannot overturn their 2-1 first leg deficit.

    Earlier in the day, Liverpool's club museum was visited
    by many fans remembering the 1995 tragedy in Belgium.

    "It was a long time ago. So, football has moved on in
    the last 20 years. It was a terrible tragedy at the time
    but with safer stadium and different attitude of supporters
    these days, safer stadiums, I am sure we are going to see a
    good game of football trough and in the return leg as
    well," one said.

    Before kick off, Italians and English fans mingled
    around Anfield stadium, hugging and shaking hands.

    A group of noisy Italians was escorted by Police to
    prevent any trouble while Liverpudians loooked bemused. One
    fan said the English had shown already their goodwill.

    "Yes, the time to apologise in some people's eyes is
    the thing to do. In my own personal opinion, apology have
    been done, apology has been said. I don't think we really
    needed but in the political age, apology seems to be the
    right thing to do."
    On a night day when future dreams entwined with past
    nightmares, Liverpool beat Juventus 2-1 in a Champions
    League match that suitably honoured the 39 people who died
    at the Heysel disaster 20 year ago.

    The teams' last meeting was the ill-fated 1985
    European Cup final in Brussels 20 years ago but Tuesday's
    quarter-final first leg was memorable not just for the
    respect shown to the victims of that night.

    Outstanding goals from Sami Hyypia and Luis Garcia gave
    Liverpool a deserved 2-0 halftime lead before Fabio
    Cannavaro pulled one back for Juve in the second half to
    leave the tie delicately balanced before next week's second
    leg in Turin.

    It was not just what happened on the field that made
    this "friendship game" so special. A banner of friendship was
    prese
    nted to the Juventus
    fans by Liverpool fans before the game with Phil Neal, the
    1985 Liverpool skipper, Michel Platini, who scored the
    winning goal for Juventus that ill-fated night, and Ian
    Rush, who played for both Liverpool and Juventus, involved
    in the exchange.

    A minute's silence in honour of the 39 dead and for
    Pope John Paul II -- was also observed before Liverpool's
    Kop end held up cards spelling "Amicizia" or friendship
    before delivering a heart-rendering version of their Never
    Walk Alone anthem.

    Not all the Juve fans were won over, many whistling and
    turning their backs during the ceremonies, but the
    underlying atmosphere was respectful.

    Once the ceremonies were over Liverpool took total
    control of the first half, Juventus came back strongly in
    the second - and referee Frank De Bleeckere, significantly
    from Belgium where the disaster occurred - did not show a
    single yellow card.

    Liverpool, as if collectively letting out a sigh of
    relief that the long build-up had finally ended, made the
    breakthrough from a corner after 10 minutes when Steven
    Gerrard's fiercely-whipped in kick was flicked on by Luis
    Garcia on the near post, flew off a defender's head and
    into the path of the unmarked Hyypia who gave Gianluigi
    Buffon absolutely no chance with a fiercely struck
    left-foot volley.

    Gerrard, ruling midfield as if it was his own personal
    fiefdom, set up at least six other attacks with precision
    passes to Milan Baros and surprise selection Le Tallec
    while Garcia, Igor Biscan and John-Arne Riise snuffed out
    almost every threat that Pavel Nedved and Mauro Camoranesi
    attempted to create for the Juve front men Alessandro Del
    Piero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

    They were so effective that 19-year-old Scott Carson,
    playing his first European match in the Liverpool goal in
    place of Jerzy Dudek, was initially a spectator while
    Buffon, playing in his 77th European game, was beaten for
    the second time after 25 minutes.

    Le Tallec played the ball into to Garcia who let it
    bounce once before lashing it home with a spectacularly
    from 25 metres.

    Juventus, who had conceded only two goals in their
    previous eight Champions League matches this season, had
    now conceded two inside half-an-hour but then quickly had
    two chances of their own.

    Ibrahimovic hit the post with a low drive a minute
    after Garcia's goal and four minutes after that Del Piero
    was brilliantly denied by Carson.

    Fabio Capello brought on Gianluca Pessotto for Manuele
    Blasi at halftime and he gave Juventus more of a bite in
    midfield and more of a grip on the game.

    They got their reward when a cross from Gianluca
    Zambrotta, eluded all the Liverpool defenders and was
    headed down by Cannavaro. Carson misjudged the flight of
    the ball which bounced down in front of him and was in the
    back of the net before he could recover.

    There were few close chances after that, but it almost
    did not matter on a night when football was truly the
    winner, so unlike the last time.

    After the match, the Italian coach admitted he was
    caught by surprise by Liverpool lightining start.

    "In the first half hour we did not really play. I
    really meant that, we did not play. The doubts I had
    yesterday in the sense that I was worried about not having
    played for so long was apparent in that first half hour and
    this did go against us. We were not really fast enough for
    them. We were unlucky that there were three attempts at
    goal by Liverpool and only two actual goals. The reaction
    of the team though after all of this was great. They were
    much more aggressive and much faster."
    Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez praised his team for
    the win against opponents rated as favourites. "I am happy,
    I am delighted with the first half and disappointed with
    the goal and with the second half maybe. But in the endof
    the game, I think we had a good game against a good team,"
    the Spaniard said.

    Benitez explained why he decided to risk 19-year-old
    goalkeeper Scott Carson on his first Champions League match
    instead of the more experienced Polish Jerzy Dudek.

    "I decided because I have been talking with Jerzy and
    Jerzy said that he had not confidence and we decided to use
    Scott. It's because Jerzy said he feels a little of pain,
    it would be better to use a golakeeper fit, one hundred per cent fit."
    The Liverpool coach was also impressed with the
    atmosphere of the match: "I think we have seen a very good
    game and I say before: it's the best thingh that we can do
    to help the families to play a good game without problems
    and I think we had done that."



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