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It’s a terrible moment for OM supporters who lose their boss, Bernard Tapie, who died at the age of 78. Despite a return not really crowned with success in 2002 and an end of course which will remain marked by business and in particular the most famous, VA – OM, the passage from Tapie to Marseille is above all a huge sporting success in the eyes of Marseille supporters. We take a look back at five key dates.
On April 12, 1986, Tapie bought OM
While OM have just finished in a modest twelfth place in Division 1, Bernard Tapie officially concludes the acquisition of OM, validated by the charismatic mayor of the time, Gaston Deferre. A Bernard Tapie who arrives with great ambitions. Michel Hidalgo as sports director, Papin, Domergue or Alain Giresse on the field. The first season already marks a spectacular rebound for OM, which finished second in the championship and finalist in the Coupe de France.
On May 2, 1989, Tapie offered the title to OM
After three seasons where OM will have experienced profound upheavals and will be transformed into a real armada, the Marseille club finally dominates France in football. After recruiting Eric Cantona or Eric Di Meco, the Marseille club relies above all on its great star, Jean-Pierre Papin, author of 22 league goals, to conquer the title of champion of France, accompanied a few weeks later by a doubled with the Coupe de France won against Monaco.
May 29, 1991, disillusionment for Tapie in the C1 final
Bernard Tapie, after only five years in Marseille, has transformed the Marseille training team from mid-table in Ligue 1 to a benchmark in European football. During a remarkable career in the European Cup of Champion Clubs, the Phocaeans took the luxury of affording the scalp of AC Milan, a huge benchmark of the time, and reached for the first time the final of the most prestigious of European competitions. But that will end in a scoring failure on penalties against Red Star Belgrade. A painful return to earth.
On May 22, 1993, Tapie faced the start of the VA – OM affair
While OM dominate the French championship and a second C1 final is announced in a few days, an innocuous meeting between Valenciennes and OM turns into a scandal. In question, the revelations of Jacques Glassmann about attempts at corruption on the part of the Marseille club, so that the Valenciennois lift their foot in order to spare the Phocaeans. A case that will precipitate the fall of Bernard Tapie at OM, and which will even earn him prison time in 1997 …
On May 26, 1993, Tapie takes OM to the firmament
The time of a few hours, the VA – OM scandal is forgotten because the Marseille club will live its day of glory with the victory in the European Cup of Champions Clubs. A corner from Abedi Pelé placed on the head of Basile Boli will allow Marseille to conquer the first C1 in its history against AC Milan (1-0) and to be able to boast of being “Forever the first” in France to lift the trophy. The apotheosis of the Tapie era which will forever remain the president who will have marked many Marseille supporters, who pay homage to him en masse today …
to summarize
Bernard Tapie, the former president of OM, has died at the age of 78. Marseille supporters lose their Boss forever. Back on the journey of a man who guided the Marseille club to the roof of Europe in seven years!