As with every tragedy, there is a before and after. But the Heysel tragedy, whose 40th anniversary is today, is a wound that does not heal. The massacre was not motivated by political beliefs, religious or racial extremism. IIt was an absurd tragedy, born of recklessness and unpreparedness. Thirty-nine people died simply because they had decided to watch a European Cup final. They returned in a coffin or with severe physical and emotional injuries. An evening of sports was transformed into a nightmare due to the disastrous organization by UEFA and the Belgian authorities, as well as the responsibilities of the English fans. Four decades later, the burden has not been lifted. Those who went through the Heysel — at the stadium, in front of the TV, on the pitch — know that shiver that returns every time the memory resurfaces. The fear of the unexpected, of violence that intrudes where it shouldn't. In 1985, as today on the eve of a new Champions League final, the anticipation was full of emotion: Juventus-Liverpool, the dream of a trophy pursued for years. Many prepared for the perfect evening: some traveling to Brussels, others organizing to watch it with friends. Then there's the delayed start, the confused images, the first clashes, the captains’ appeals. The game goes on.  And for those at home, the match continues, cheering, shouting for their favorites. But the voice talking about “deaths” grows louder and louder, until the next day it overwhelms everything else on the news headlines: 39 victims, hundreds injured. A sense of remorse that does not fade with age or the naivety of those who were once boys. Because the word 'Heysel' has been associated with loss and grief for forty years. And every time it is spoken, the heart inevitably skips a beat.