August 22, 1998. Forget the hot clasicos between OM and PSG. It is by facing Montpellier Hérault Sport Club that Olympique de Marseille will write its legend in Division 1 with letters of nobility. What we are going to talk to you about is far beyond any understanding. What we are going to tell you about is a comeback that haunts, even 23 years later, the least supporter of La Paillade and its surroundings.
French football or the bug of the year 1998
The year 1998 will undoubtedly remain as a black hole in the history of French football. Like the year 2000 bug, there are things that cannot be explained. The previous year of the French championship had already seen RC Lens and FC Metz compete for the title. With for top scorer a certain Stéphane Guivarc’h. Already this year 1998 announced a unique vintage of its kind.
On July 12, it’s the turn of the Blues to turn the brains of the French and create an entire generation of footix. Jacques Chirac at its head. Only one month after the infamy of the French team in the final of the World Cup, Division 1 will offer us a scenario that we are still talking about more than 20 years later. During a day at the end of summer 1998 in Marseille, the people of Montpellier land at the Vélodrome for the third day. OM are supposed to play for the title. The MHSC has a soft stomach. We tell ourselves that the meeting will be one-sided. It will be. Like never in the past.
The summary of the match OM – Montpellier
The people of Hérault do not wait more than a quarter of an hour to make the Olympians dive. Laurent Robert sends a deep dive for Bakayoko, who adjusts Porato. A goal stamped Olive and Tom. Less than four minutes later, the passer turns into a scorer. 2-0. Then Franck Sauzée, OM legend, took the opportunity to register the third as if it were his jubilee. So when Bakayoko goes for his double to bring the score to 4-0, the MHSC simply begins to believe in the title.
Four goals scored in 19 minutes. Including three by players who have played for OM during their careers. The perfect swimsuit reversal.
Then comes half-time. 4-0. The Lille – Nice almost remake during the Galtierico. If the stands are empty, the boos are still felt. And at the Vélodrome, how to put it, it stings. A rain of 50,000 whistles fell on the Olympians who would certainly have preferred to play behind closed doors. Yet in the locker room, the atmosphere is quite different …
“Rolland told us that if they had scored four times, we should be able to do it also in view of our weapons. And there, we look at each other with the guys and we all wonder what he just smoked ”É. Roy (So Foot)
At the exit of the locker room, the Marseille druid crosses paths with Louis Nicollin. A scene will follow which will forever enter the annals of the D1. While the two men tread the lawn, the Marseille coach puts his cojones on the table. Boss size.
” What are you telling me ? We will win 5-4! »R. Courbis
OM / Montpellier – Season 98/99. ????
OM are down 0-4 at halftime. ????
It was without counting on the prophet coach Courbis ????
“OM / Montpellier: a memorable night”: story of a legendary match in # Jplus1Vintage ???? pic.twitter.com/iVTy3Ft7Qm
— King Of She Day (@KingOfZeDay) April 1, 2018
MHSC, carte premium FFL d’office
The match resumes. While we expect a fury from the Marseillais to get back to the score, nothing. Niet. Nada. We must wait for the hour of play, and the entry of the trigger: Christophe Dugarry. Who would have thought to say that one day? However, his entry will change everything. Yes, absolutely everything. Nicknamed “Dugachy” by supporters of OM since its more than complicated beginnings, the pair of Zizou will quickly silence the critics. At least for half an hour. A decisive pass for Florian Maurice, and a double header. Three goals in 10 minutes. The currency of the coin.
Then 5 minutes from time, Eric Roy shoots Bruno Martini and equalizes. The Velodrome is closer to a volcano than an enclosure. There are few places in the stadium where the smoke is not lit. And as if it were written, we play the 90th minute when Pirès takes the ball near the surface and is mowed inside by Serredszum (do not venture to pronounce it). Laurent Blanc puts the ball down and gives victory to OM. But one question remains at the final whistle: who achieved a feat that night? OM or Montpellier? The story of the chicken and the egg.
“Already, going back to the locker room at the break at the Vélodrome with a 4-goal lead, against this team, it was impossible. But to be caught up and outstripped in less than thirty minutes, we were getting into the irrational ”JC. Rouviere (Le Figaro)
No, the MHSC simply entered the ranks of French sport.
A comeback from the century of OM which served Walou
Midfielder of Montpellier, Philippe Delaye still does not understand. Even more than 20 years later.
“We arrived with a lot of confidence, tactically very developed and sure of our strength” P. Delaye (So Foot)
“Tactically very developed”. Lol. So logically, years later, everyone is wondering what coach Courbis could have said to his players to make them overthrow the Montpellier mountain. The myth was already crazy, the reality is even more so.
“In pétanque, there are teams that lose 12-0 but continue to play. And from time to time, it happens that they win 13 to 12. In fact, I spoke of pétanque, more than of football »R. Courbis
Division 1 or Ligue 1, we love you. Speaking of the championship, Montpellier remains true to itself, and ends up comfortably in the soft underbelly of the standings. An eighth place that suits him well. 8 points from relegation, 5 from Europe. Not too high, not too low. The center by its excellence. As for OM, the Marseillais failed a small point in the title that year.
All that for this.
