The Cup with big ears on the Old Port, like 30 years ago: Marseille proudly celebrated the 30th anniversary of OM’s victory in the Champions League on Friday with a big party bringing together supporters and players of the time.
Suddenly, at 11 p.m., the bells of Notre-Dame de la Garde rang out and the first smoke bombs and smoke pots were lit on the forecourt of the Basilica which dominates the city.
This was the signal and the entire Marseille coast was then set ablaze for a massive “crack” of smoke bombs, over more than 20 kilometers, organized by several groups of OM supporters. “If the Good Mother is with us, we will show the whole world what Marseilles is capable of”, had launched a few moments earlier the person in charge of one of these groups to his troops.
A few hours before, OM fans had already gathered in front of the Town Hall, on the old Port. “Thank you to the people of Marseille, I love you!”, Launched Basile Boli, scorer and hero of the Munich final against AC Milan, installed on the balcony.
Downstairs, a few thousand OM supporters had gathered in a stadium atmosphere, the first smoke bombs lit and chants taken up in chorus at the signal of a “capo” from the South Winners, the main group of OM supporters. .
“On the evening of May 26, I watched the final and the next day we came to celebrate the title here. We threw ourselves into the Old Port with friends, colleagues, family. This is what it means to us,” said Rémi, 39, when a huge tarpaulin “Forever the first” was unveiled on the facade of the town hall.
Inside the building, the current president of OM Pablo Longoria spoke with Jean-Pierre Bernès, the right arm of then-president Bernard Tapie.
The family of the former politician and businessman then welcomed the players of 1993, Boli and Eric Di Meco in the lead, then Jean-Marc Ferreri, Fabien Barthez, Jocelyn Angloma, Alen Boksic, Abedi Pelé…
Laurent Tapie, the son of the “Boss”, still idolized by the vast majority of Marseille supporters despite the VA-OM corruption affair which immediately followed the Munich coronation, then announced the launch of a subscription for the creation a statue of his father.
It will represent the former president of OM and six winning players of the C1 (Deschamps, Boli, Di Meco, Desailly, Barthez and Sauzée) and will be installed in front of the Vélodrome, an esplanade of which will now bear the name of Bernard Tapie.
“There will be something in Marseille that bears his name and that is not trivial. Being near the Stade Vélodrome for eternity, nothing could have made him happier,” said Laurent Tapie.
Asked about the advisability of giving the name of Tapie, imprisoned in the context of the VA-OM affair, to a public space, the mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan quickly swept aside the criticism. “I invite them to come celebrate and join in the fun,” he said of any upset.
Then, on the balcony, he first greeted the supporters, without whom “there is no OM”, then the 1993 players.
“They are there to remind us of one thing: no matter what, we are forever the first!” he said.
Then the party continued with the replay of the Munich final on a giant screen, culminating in Boli’s 44th-minute goal, greeted by a crowd as enthusiastic as if it had been at the Velodrome or the Stadium. Munich Olympics.
On Saturday, the party will continue before the OM-Brest match at the Vélodrome, where a giant tifo will be deployed on the four stands for a final tribute to the evening of May 26, 1993.
