Giant Typhos, smoke bombs… Ultras OM are thinking about the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille.

As is often the case, South Winners leader Rashid Zeroual wanted to achieve big things. On the occasion of the arrival of the Olympic flame on board the Belem, the last French three-masted steel-hulled ship, several events were organized this Wednesday, May 8, in the evening (19:00). So the South Bend group plans to place several visual choreographies—or tifos—at Forts Saint-Jean and Ganteaume, King René’s Tower and Saint-Victor Abbey.

Initial evidence suggests that the Greek heritage of the Phocian city should be honoured. A tradition for the leader of Winners – the largest group in France with around 7,500 members – who always strives to make Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) shine in the world through events.

For several days, more than a hundred supporters worked in a huge hangar at Parc Chanot, an exhibition center adjacent to the Stade Vélodrome. This Tuesday, the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, whom we sometimes see in the stands with the Caotic Group, was also on site with Colette and Christian Cataldo, the leaders of the Dodgers, to oversee the progress of the work.

In the early evening, huge tarpaulins will be visible on the monuments located at the entrance to the Old Port of Marseille. At the same time, members of the Winners will light several hundred smoke bombs along the perimeter in the manner of their 35th anniversary, celebrated in May 2022. A priori, only this group participates in the events.

After the celebrations, some winners will take their seats on the bus and travel to Italy and Bergamo for the Europa League semi-final second leg against Atalanta (Thursday 9 May, 21:00). Due to the reduced size of visitor parking – around 700 spaces – there should only be around a hundred at Gewiss Stadium.

Let’s remember that when Pope Francis came to Marseille in September, the winners also took part, deploying several giant tifos – visual spectacles that were unanimously praised – at the Velodrome.