Marseille is a city synonymous with passionate football supporters, but that fervor wasn’t limited to the stands. Stories abound of strong personalities and dramatic moments within the club itself. One particularly memorable incident involved then-Olympique de Marseille president Bernard Tapie, whose reaction to a painful defeat became the stuff of legend, recounted by those who witnessed it firsthand.
Jean Fernandez, who served as an assistant coach to Raymond Goethals at the time, believes the foundation for Marseille’s eventual Champions League triumph in 1993 was laid two years earlier. As he shared in an interview with Nice-Matin in 2023, the turning point came in Bari, Italy, where Marseille suffered a heartbreaking loss to Red Star Belgrade in the 1991 European Cup final, decided by a penalty shootout.
“Tapie Rushes to the Stage, Breaks a Guitar, and Orders Everyone to Leave Within Five Minutes”
“It all started with that lost final against Red Star Belgrade,” Fernandez recalled. “We were on the bus heading to the stadium. I was sitting behind Bernard Tapie and caught him miming holding the trophy, lifting it. He was possessed. I thought to myself, ‘He’s crazy! What’s gotten into him?’ We all know what happened next – we lost in the penalty shootout.”
The aftermath of the defeat revealed the full extent of Tapie’s intensity. “We returned to the hotel where a small celebration had been planned. The orchestra started to play. Tapie rushed towards the stage, broke a guitar, and demanded that everyone leave within five minutes. The musicians were stunned. Tapie couldn’t stand failure, defeat. He was consumed by hatred. Ten minutes later, the scene had become a mortuary. All you could hear were the clinking of cutlery. He called me and said, ‘Tonight, you sleep in the Belgian’s room. I’m afraid he’ll have a heart attack. You’ve seen his face? He looks 95 years old. He’s not going to craft it. And you take away his Belga cigarettes. He’s choking.’ That was Tapie in a nutshell.”
“The Speech Lasted Three Minutes. I Will Remember It All My Life”
The following day, the then-president of Olympique de Marseille delivered a speech that left a lasting impression on Jean Fernandez. “Later, he left the room with his wife after noticing that the guests’ table, where Beckenbauer and players who hadn’t played in the final were seated, had champagne. The next morning, he gathered us all in the reception hall. The speech lasted three minutes. I will remember it all my life: ‘Listen to me carefully, I lost the Champions League last night, I’m going to win it tomorrow. The difference? Today, I know who I’m going to win it with and who I’m not going to win it with.’ The guys were looking at each other. I was looking at Tapie. Incredible. And 1993 started that morning. Tapie was a war machine. He was extraordinary. He radiated energy. When he entered a place, you could feel the breath. He also cared about the smallest detail. When I got an apartment, I had a telephone line reserved for him. He could call me in the middle of the night and retain me on the phone for two hours.”
The story offers a glimpse into the volatile and demanding personality of Bernard Tapie, a figure who left an indelible mark on French football. His unwavering determination and relentless pursuit of victory, even in the face of defeat, ultimately fueled Marseille’s historic Champions League triumph in 1993. The incident at the hotel in Bari serves as a stark reminder of the intense pressure and high stakes that defined his tenure at the club, and the lengths to which he would go to achieve success. It’s a story often retold among those who remember the era, a testament to the unforgettable character of Bernard Tapie and the passionate atmosphere surrounding Olympique de Marseille.
The legacy of that era continues to resonate with Marseille supporters today, a reminder of a time when the club was at the pinnacle of European football, driven by a president who demanded nothing less than total commitment and victory. The story of Tapie’s outburst isn’t just a tale of anger and frustration; it’s a window into the mindset of a man who believed, with unwavering conviction, that success was within reach, and that he would stop at nothing to achieve it.
Olympique de Marseille will next face [insert next opponent and date here – *verification needed*] at the Orange Vélodrome. Fans will be hoping for a performance that embodies the same fighting spirit and determination that characterized the club during the Tapie era.
What are your thoughts on this legendary story? Share your memories and opinions in the comments below!
