• Marseille and Olympique de Marseille celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Champions League victory against Milan.
  • Since the death of Bernard Tapie, the president of OM during the victory in 1993, his grave located in the cemetery of Mazargues, in Marseille, has become a place of pilgrimage for all lovers of the club.

La Bonne Mère, the Stade Vélodrome, and now the tomb of Bernard Tapie. In Marseille, the pilgrim's journey of the Olympique de Marseille supporter now extends to Mazargues, at the end of Boulevard Michelet where the Velodrome stadium sits. It is in this historic district of Marseille with the air of a small village, one of the 111 that counts the city, that is buried the "Boss", Bernard Tapie, president of the club during the victory in the European Cup in 1993.

More precisely, in the alleys of the cemetery of Mazargues. "Now people say Bernard Tapie's cemetery, which enrages the inhabitants of Mazargues, very chauvinistic, who answer 'no, it's the cemetery of Mazargues'," says Nicole, a florist close to the entrance of the cemetery.

"Like a pilgrimage"

She is in the front row to see the many supporters who come to pay their respects at the grave of the former president of OM since his funeral in October 2021. "People often come in groups, when there are matches, with OM jerseys. Since his death, it has not stopped. There are even people from Lens and Strasbourg who come," she says, impressed. "And Parisians, too, imagine. They come twice a year to the Boss's grave. We see that they are very touched every time, it's like a pilgrimage. For what he did for OM and for his fight against the disease, "cuts his partner.

The tomb of Bernard Tapie, referenced on Google Map, overlooks the upper part of this neighborhood cemetery, and the town hall has offered him a large location around which people can now gather. "Our Boss forever," pays tribute to him by a plaque of the Old Guard, "To our eternal Boss on behalf of SW 87 and CU 84," reads another. Three scarves in the colors of OM cover the bottom of the tomb, on which are placed flowers and souvenir photos. And a small pebble, with the Gwenn ha Du, testifies to the passage of Breton supporters. An olive tree and a mimosa line the right side of the burial. "A woman who worked with Tapie comes every week to maintain the grave," says Nicole.



Christiane and Benjamin are used to coming to maintain the family grave. Since Bernard Tapie's grave is opposite, "there are more associates. We see young and old, especially on game days. When our families knew he was buried here, they asked us to send them pictures," said the retired couple, also referring to "almost a pilgrimage".

A "primordial" visit two days before the 30th anniversary of the Champions League

Maxime 17, who came with his family with his two sisters, one of whom wears the OM jersey with the large blue star to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the victory in the European Cup, is still a little disappointed. "We were expecting something more monumental. It lacks a bit of maintenance, especially two days before the 30th anniversary of the Champions League," he said. Nothing is ever grandiose enough for the "Boss" in Marseille.

A "primordial" visit for his mother, Cyrielle, 37, who took the whole family to see Tapie's grave for a medical appointment in Marseille: "We come from Avignon, we took the opportunity to come to the grave of the Boss. It's the first time we've come, for the boss and because it's almost 30 years of the title of European champion," she said. They will not be able to return for the celebrations planned on the Old Port on Friday, unlike Christiane and Benjamin who are closely watching the program of festivities: "We came to party in town thirty years ago, people kissed my wife through the window that was down," recalls Benjamin. "Yes it's true, I don't know if I'd do it now," laughs Christiane. In Marseille, time passes, but the memories of May 26, 1993 will never fade.

  • Football
  • Sport
  • Champions League
  • Olympique de Marseille (OM)
  • Bernard Tapie