The announcement was made on May 25 by the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of OM’s Champions League title. The Stade Vélodrome esplanade, at the top of the steps, on the Jean Bouin stands side, will soon bear the name of Bernard Tapie. But the celebrations of the European title of the Olympian club will not stop there.
Bernard Tapie’s son, Laurent, was the guest of the show “Rothen s’enflamme” this Wednesday on RMC. He provided details on the statue which will soon be installed in front of the Vélodrome in homage to his father.
“I raised two thirds of the money. I’m happy with it but a third is missing. I take this opportunity to appeal to everyone who loved my father, and even to those who didn’t love him but think he deserves something to stay after him. When Francis Borelli dies, there is a Francis Borelli stand (at the Parc des Princes). When Louis Nicollin died, Montpellier announced that its next stadium would be named after Louis Nicollin. And when the only president who brought back the Champions League dies, there is nothing. Zero. Neither training center nor grandstand,” he declared.
“I blame the whole world but I don’t want to get into that. I blame everyone and no one at the same time. In the end, it will turn out well. I put a lot of pressure on the town hall for months and I got what I wanted. When there is the monument, the Stade Vélodrome esplanade will become the Bernard Tapie esplanade. We will have an inauguration ceremony,” said Laurent Tapie.