Frank McCourt became the owner of Olympique de Marseille in October 2016. From then on, the Champions Project began with Rudi Garcia as first team boss. The following season, OM reached the final of the Europa League. But with Bafétimbi Gomis, the Marseille club would have emerged victorious from this final against Atletico de Madrid (0-3) and would have been crowned champion of France.
L’Marseille Olympic launched his Champions Project in the fall of 2016 with the takeover of the club through the American businessman Frank McCourt. Rudi Garcia inherited a squad in which featured Shirt Bridesloaned for the 2016/2017 season by Swansea.
“I have one regret at OM, he is my regret”
However, Rudi Garcia could not count on the man with 21 goals any longer during this exercise due to the end of his loan which was not renewed by OM. “ I have one regret at OM, he is my regret. Bafé leaves after my first season, we finish fifth, qualified for the Europa League, he’s an important player, he scored 20 goals with me.”
“If I had kept Bafé, I would have won the French championship with OM and I would have won the Europa League”
For the media Carréthe former coach of theMarseille Olympic between 2016 and 2019 recognized that the club's error and his own lay in their lack of reaction when retaining Shirt Brides which would have been the key to Marseille's success. “ We failed to give it importance, so certainly me first, I was perhaps not convincing enough with my leaders. But I think that if I had kept Bafé, I would have won the French championship with OM and I would have won the Europa League. I say it like I mean it.”
