Olympique de Marseille has decided to distribute the entrances of supporters to the Vélodrome stadium according to their stands, in order to facilitate access to the stadium on match nights.
This measure is part of a reflection between the club, the town hall of the sector, and the police headquarters, in order to streamline and secure the surroundings of the Vélodrome stadium.
But the supporters of the South turn do not want to change their habits, while many gather on Boulevard Michelet to have an aperitif before returning to the Vélodrome stadium.
“Who doesn't belong, who doesn't belong?
All you have to do is leave the Prado roundabout metro entrance to feel all the excitement of Olympique de Marseille's pre-matches at the Vélodrome stadium.
Resale on the sly of seats in the stands or in bends, while some order a slice of pizza in the trucks lined up on Boulevard Michelet.
Opposite, the Ricards line up on aluminum trays to be better distributed to supporters on the terrace.
A little further, in front of the steps of the square René Dufaure de Montmirail, the founder of Olympique de Marseille, FC Parvis warms up, and heats up.
This is the nickname given to all those supporters who gather in front of the steps of the Vélodrome stadium during OM's pre-matches, to raise the atmosphere.
Cracking of smoke bombs, repetition of songs to the glory of Olympique de Marseille and firecrackers and fireworks fired in the middle of the crowd.
All of course filmed to better show off on social networks.
Nuisances and monster plugs
Fireworks which for some landed on a balcony of the Michelet-Prado residence, the bar of buildings of 800 apartments located opposite the Vélodrome stadium, on the other side of the street.
To the point that residents have installed a banner, "OM yes, mortar and waste Stop", after a resident of the 9th floor received a mortar on her balcony.
More generally, the gatherings of supporters in the vicinity of the residence to have an aperitif also generate a lot of nuisance, with the smell of urine and amounts of waste.
Not to mention the smart guys who have fun detonating ever more powerful firecrackers under the arcades of the residence, with a deafening resonance effect.
And in the middle of all this, cars bumper to bumper, forced to let the swarm of supporters wanting to join the stadium after an often drunken aperitif.
And a boulevard Michelet, one of the main arteries of the city with the two boulevards of the Prado, completely congested.
It's simple, to reach the Vélodrome stadium from Place Castellane, it takes at least an hour on match days.
As for the Frankfurt team, who arrived late at the Vélodrome stadium for their Champions League match, the kick-off of which had to be postponed.
"We have to improve all that, it's everyone's responsibility"
So many problems of which Pablo Longoria is fully aware, as he told us during his first half of the season report, last November.
“It would be an easy argument to say that the club is not legally responsible since it is the public road.
We are morally responsible to help improve the experience.
And we have a lot of things to do, taking into account that the Vélodrome stadium is right in the city center, with the difficulties of access that we know during matches in the middle of the week.
We discussed a lot with the town hall and the police headquarters, everyone must improve their communication and contact with the supporters, and see how to do so that the stadium keeps all its fervor and that we respect traditions.
It is for example not normal that the traffic plan is open to everyone, one day we will have a real problem.
It is not possible for a 5 year old child to find himself in the middle of smoke bombs, as well as cars, as firecrackers.
We have to improve all that, it's everyone's responsibility, ”recalled the president of OM.
After the words, the actions.
The club has decided to review its terms of access to the Vélodrome stadium since the last match against Lorient (3-1) last Saturday.
For the supporters of the Jean-Bouin stand and the north bend, nothing changes since they must access via the forecourt of boulevard Michelet.
But supporters of the Ganay stand and the south corner must now enter through Dromel, on the other side of the stadium.
“I hope you have your canoes”
A decision taken to facilitate access, while nearly 3/4 of the supporters entered through the Jean Bouin forecourt.
And who was quick to react to the subscribers of the south turn.
"It's been 10 years that I park in the same place, that I return at the same time by the same door, enrages Teddy, subscriber at the South Winners.
Fuck them.
They divide us, what does that mean?
All that for FC Parvis, but it only makes me want to go buy firecrackers and fumis and go and do FC Parvis, seriously ”.
His sidekick Anthony is a little more understanding: “It's good to want to try to improve daily life, before closing the entire residence”.
Jo and Laura, subscribers to Commando Ultra 84, had initially planned to have an aperitif on the Ganay side, "but everyone came on the Michelet side, as usual".
They therefore followed, and plan to join the Ganay forecourt all together.
“I hope you have taken your hiking boots and your canoes because we are going to go through the Huveaune,” warns Teddy, who even wrote to the club to express his dissatisfaction.
Around 6 p.m., one hour from kick-off, here is the joyful little troop of about fifteen supporters heading for the Huveaune, this river that runs along the Vélodrome, bordered by a path that allows you to bypass the stadium. .
Other expected measures
For OM, it is still too early to take stock of this novelty, “but the first feedback is positive, even very positive”.
There were indeed a few fewer people on the Michelet side than usual, even if it is very difficult to quantify, but above all almost no members of the now famous FC Parvis, which exasperates fan clubs, such as Om.
“There have been several meetings between the club and the police headquarters, for a better distribution of flows.
We were in favor of this new distribution, and for its implementation on Saturday, everything went very well, ”we welcome the Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters.
On the side of the town hall of the 6th and 8th arrondissements, requested by the inhabitants of the Michelet-Prado residence, we welcome this “first step” forward.
“It's good, but it remains very largely insufficient, considers the mayor of the sector Pierre Benarroche.
With 50,000 to 60,000 people on a recurring basis, the inhabitants of the district are experiencing a massive influx.
We cannot complain about the successes of OM, but other measures are needed to ensure that certain inhabitants are not taken hostage ”.
He lists, for example, the establishment of shuttles for supporters coming from other towns in the region, or the outright closure of Negresko and Raphaël streets to preserve access, for residents but also emergency services, to the residence.
Teddy, still as upset, to him another solution:
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