29 May 1985 - The Heysel Stadium Disaster

On 29 May 1985, as Liverpool and Juventus prepared to play the European Cup Final in Brussels' Heysel Stadium, pre-match rioting resulted in 39 deaths and over 600 injuries. UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson later called it "the darkest hour in the history of the UEFA competitions."

The trouble started approximately one hour before the scheduled kick-off time. Behind one of the goals, the opposing fans, who were divided into two sections separated by a narrow strip of unoccupied territory and bordered by chain-link fencing, began to throw bottles and stones over the fences at each other. As the situation grew increasingly hostile, a group of Liverpool supporters charged through and over the fencing into the Juventus enclosure. The Juventus fans retreated against a wall, which collapsed under the pressure. Of the 39 people killed, 32 were Juventus fans, while the other seven were neutrals.

Upon seeing their fellow supporters attacked, the Juventus fans at the other end of the stadium began rioting and fought with the police for over two hours, even after the match started (officials chose to play the match for fear that cancellation would result in increased violence - Juventus won 1-0 with a 56th-minute penalty scored by their French midfielder Michel Platini).

In response, UEFA banned British clubs from European competition for five years, with Liverpool receiving an additional three-year ban (later reduced to one extra year). British police investigated the incident and eventually arrested 27 people for manslaughter. In a trial held in Belgium, 14 people - all Liverpool fans - were given three-year sentences.

2 June 1985 - Hooligans Get A Looooong Time Out

On 2 June 1985, the governing body of European football, UEFA, banned English clubs from participating in European competitions.

UEFA enacted the ban in response to the Heysel Stadium disaster four days prior. On 29 May, at the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, some Liverpool supporters breached a wall separating them from the Juventus supporters and charged at them. The Juventus fans retreated against a retaining wall, which collapsed, injuring approximately 600 people. 39 people died from their injuries.

The English Football Association, in response to pressure from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, had already issued its own ban on 29 May to prevent English clubs from playing in Europe. UEFA's ban was thus not particularly surprising, nor even entirely unwelcome in England. In fact, English FA Secretary Ted Croker lauded UEFA's decision, stating "There are many of us who don't want to see us back in Europe until we have our own house in order."

Although UEFA initially announced that the ban was to be indefinite, it lasted only five years for all English clubs except Liverpool, who were banned for a sixth year due to the club's role in the disaster.

Since the ban was lifted, English clubs have won the European Cup/Champions League Final only three times - Manchester United in 1999 and 2008, and Liverpool in 2005 - though four other sides - Arsenal (2006), Liverpool (2007), Chelsea (2008), and Manchester United (2009) - have advanced to the Final.