Marseille: thousands of OM supporters pay tribute to Tapie's coffin at the Vélodrome

A new evening full of emotions at the Vélodrome.

But this time around, it was not tears of joy after a victory that poured down the faces of the fans gathered in the stands.

Several thousand supporters of Olympique de Marseille attended, smoke and flags in hand, the tribute to Bernard Tapie, who died Sunday of cancer, organized in the emblematic stadium of the Marseille club.

Around 6.15 p.m., this coffin was accompanied by supporters and Van Halen's Jump music to reach the central circle.

On the coffin, scarves but also a flag and the famous Champions League won in 1993 were affixed.

All under the eyes of Stéphane Tapie, the son of the late former president of the Marseille club.

A very moving moment.

In the middle of the afternoon, on the edge of the steps leading to the stadium, facing Boulevard Michelet, a huge black and white portrait of the ex-president of Olympique de Marseille (1986-1994) has drawn, with a caption: "Rest in peace the boss, you will be forever in our hearts".

On the first landing of the stairs, a large photo, also black and white, installed since Monday morning by the club: Bernard Tapie, in a suit and tie, brandishing a soccer ball.

Next to it, a few roses and a wreath of flowers, offered by the Winners, one of OM's seven supporters' clubs.

Inside, where supporters were able to sit in the stands, images of the former president are shown on giant screens.

At 6 p.m., before the body arrived, supporters' chants accompanied the broadcast of the (victorious) OM-Milan final in 1993.

The 1993 OM-Milan final is broadcast on giant screens, to the chants of the supporters pic.twitter.com/fIMbbMSyHm

- La Provence OM (@OMLaProvence) October 7, 2021

"Supporter of OM and anti-Parisian", Micheline Duval, 61, member of the Winners and housekeeper, dressed in the colors of the club from head to toe, anti-Covid mask included, "came to pay homage to the only Parisian recognized by the Marseillais, who brought them to the top ”, with the 1993 Champions League, the only one ever won by French football.

The coffin on the lawn

“The homage paid to him is nothing compared to what he deserves.

We should not talk about the past ", she blurted out, evacuating the legal setbacks of the ex-businessman:" He is a man with a big heart, we must stop always going back on his convictions, he was condemned out of jealousy and sent to prison because he was in the way ”.

⚫️ Tribute to Bernard Tapie: the supporters took their seats at Jean Bouin and chanted "Tapie, Tapie, Tapie" #TeamOM #OM #Marseille pic.twitter.com/P5oT7zpCff

- La Provence OM (@OMLaProvence) October 7, 2021

At 3.30 p.m., an hour and a half before the scheduled opening of the stadium itself, a blue and white tide was already stretching out in a long queue to go and sign the guest books made available by the club in a salon.

Friday, it will be the turn of the funeral, still in Marseille.

After a mass at 11 a.m. at the Major, the ex-businessman will be buried in the Mazargues cemetery, in the southern districts of the city.