One year ago, on the 4th of July 2009, Robert Louis-Dreyfus left us...

It was one year ago. Already. The evening had barely started and the news fell like a hammer blow on this 4th of July 2009: OM’s owner, Robert Louis-Dreyfus was dead.

Amongst the tidal wave of condolences, one big idea came to the fore: That the team should pay homage to him by winning a title. The newly appointed president of the club, Jean-Claude Dassier, made the following statement at Evian, where the team were on a training camp at the time that the news was broadcast: “Put in a great season and win a title would be the best possible homage that we could pay to Robert and his family”.

Didier Deschamps and his players would respond present on the pitch. And they would do even better than was expected, winning the double Ligue 1/Coupe de la Ligue.
At the celebration for the league title win at the Vélodrome his wife, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus – who took up his succession at the head of his business – and his children were present as was often the case over the season to see the dream of their father, their husband take form. The best possible salute for this fan of football and OM, the one he would most probably have wanted.  A just reward.

A homage which will continue on all the pitches of France and Europe.
Starting with the RLD Trophy, the first edition of which will take place on the 1st of August at the Vélodrome. A match in memory of him which will take place against the third placed side of last season’s Spanish Liga, FC Valencia, a lot of events will be organized around this prestigious match. Buy your tickets for the encounter here.

During the match OM-Bordeaux in August 2009 which was chosen to celebrate the memory of Robert Louis-Dreyfus, a video clip was broadcast on the giant screens of the stadium. The words of the contributors were premonitory. Relive them below.