Former Juventus and Fiorentina player Pietro Vierchowod has slammed the behaviour of the Viola supporters who mocked the Heysel tragedy during their side's 2-0 defeat in Turin.

AssociatedJuventus celebrate their victory over Fiorentina

Vierchowod, who won the Champions League with the Bianconeri back in 1996, was speaking after television cameras showed a number of fans displaying banners and singing songs about those who died in the Heysel Stadium tragedy.

Thirty-nine Juve supporters were killed when part of the stadium collapsed during the 1985 European Cup final against Liverpool, and Vierchowod called on Fiorentina's owners, the Della Valle brothers, to put an end to it.

"It was a stupid thing some small-minded supporters did," he told Calciomercato.com. "I believe that Della Valle and the club, who have worked so hard on fair play and other related issues, must say something to put a stop to this shameful behaviour."

He accepted that the hatred stems from them losing the Serie A title to Juventus on the final day of the 1981-82 season but called upon fans to leave the past behind.

"It needs to be understood that the past is the past - the 1981-82 season is finished and will never return," he said. "A sporting rivalry should not devolve into insulting those who died under such tragic circumstances."