Chapter 150: Brimer Scandal

"What did you just say?" Richard asked the woman in front of him, dumbfounded.

Karren didn’t answer. Instead, she stood up, turned on the TV, and switched to EuroSport, which was currently broadcasting the hottest breaking news — but Richard completely missed it.

"For me, it is clear there was corruption," said Mr. de Montgolfier, whose name was displayed on the current television broadcast. "Three Valenciennes players were approached by people from Olympique Marseille and paid francs to play badly. The question is: At what level was the Marseille initiative taken—by Mr. Tapie himself, or someone below him?"

Richard was taken aback.

"And this..." Karren said as she laid out all the newspapers she had clearly prepared before coming here.

[...A Soccer Scandal Engulfs All France...]

[...Marseille president Bernard Tapie and general manager Jean-Pierre Bernès reached out to Valenciennes players Jorge Burruchaga, Jacques Glassmann, and Christophe Robert through Marseille player Jean-Jacques Eydelie, asking them to deliberately underperform...]

The headline in the newspaper was nothing short of magnificent.

"The situation is already this dire?" Richard said in surprise as he read the stack of newspapers on his table.

At the center of the controversy was the local soccer club, Olympique Marseille, which was accused of paying a huge sum of money to players from Valenciennes to throw a French First Division match, so that Marseille could stay fresher for their 1993 UEFA Champions League final match against A.C. Milan six days later.

The result?

Marseille defeated Valenciennes 1-0, and just six days later went on to become the first French club ever to capture the European Cup, beating AC Milan of Italy—also by a 1-0 score.

It seems like there’s nothing new here—just the usual match-fixing scandal. However, something much bigger and deeper was lurking beneath the surface of French football.

Le Classique is the rivalry between France’s two biggest football clubs: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Olympique de Marseille (OM).

They are the only French teams to have won major European trophies, which makes their fixture the biggest rivalry in France.

The rivalry truly began in 1986 when PSG won their first championship and Olympique Marseille was purchased by Bernard Tapie.

The newly formed Parisians were still assembling a competitive team, while OM was a Ligue 1 powerhouse. By the end of the decade, PSG was battling for the 1988–89 title against Tapie’s Marseille.

In the 1990/1992, tensions between the two sides reached new heights with French TV channel Canal+ acquired PSG with the goal of breaking Marseille’s dominance. Supposedly, this was seen as a positive outcome, as amplifying the animosity between the two clubs could help promote the league and draw more attention.

The problem was...

"Mr. Tapie obsesses the French," Karren said, reading from a media critique in

Libération

.

"When he bought Marseille and started rebuilding it, the club became a symbol for frustrated southerners—a representation of a struggling southern city overcoming the more prosperous north." She paused, looking at Richard. "He used Marseille’s glory to rally support for his political ambitions in the next year presidential election."

And from that point on, it wasn’t just about football anymore. France became divided—a nation split between the north (PSG) and the south (OM).

The political effect was so severe that things became even more heated when France’s Socialist President, François Mitterrand, took the unusual step of defending Mr. Tapie’s club in his Bastille Day television address to the nation.

The following day, Mitterrand’s rival and a candidate in the presidential race publicly distanced himself from Tapie. As a result, Mr. Tapie found himself at the center of the storm, caught between the divisions of southern and northern France.

"OM is indispensable to the social equilibrium of Marseilles because it is the one thing that brings together Arabs, blacks and middle-class white kids," Continued Karren. "Then PSG president Francis Borelli even stepped forward personally, accusing Tapie and his Marseille side of match-fixing during their heated rivalry..."

This meant the balance was broken—in a very bad way.

"What about the government, though? Don’t they care?" Miss Heysen, who had been listening, couldn’t help but ask.

"The French establishment in Paris doesn’t care about that. This is a battle between the capital and the Mediterranean—between the traditional bourgeoisie and an outsider like Tapie. The southerners wanted to defend him for bringing glory to a struggling OM, but the northerners had other plans. Instead of attacking him directly, they went after his business."

Karren leaned in and continued, "If I’m right, there’s a very good chance Tapie will be forced to make a choice—but it all depends on how he plays his cards and navigates what’s coming."

"What kind of choice are we talking about here?"

His business empire—Bernard Tapie Finance, La Vie Claire, Testut, and Adidas—had been floundering for the past few years, thanks to the success of Olympique de Marseille and the support of the Socialist Government. However, with the rise of a conservative government hostile to him, they have recently begun launching their attacks.

His main creditor, a state-owned bank, Societe de Banque Occidentale, was replaced last spring, which forced him to be unable to request a delay in payment deadlines. This means mounting campaign debts are now looming over him.

"Either his business, or walk away from politics," Karren answered flatly.

"It seems you’ve already done your homework," Richard’s mouth twitched as he went through every possible scenario, finally realizing the scheme this woman had cooked up.

’You clever bitch,’

Richard cursed, but he also admired how her brain worked. As expected from someone who could go toe-to-toe with Adam Levy.

From his perspective, he basically understood Karren’s thought process, especially if you looked at everything from Tapie’s point of view, as someone who wanted to become a politician.

First, if I were in Mr. Tapie’s position—having made so many sacrifices to enter politics—I definitely wouldn’t give up my political influence just to protect my business. After all, I built my business empire to enter politics, right?

Second, life after entering politics—then what? Life in politics is tough. After I win, what comes next? I’ll need support, votes, and strong backing. Where will my greatest support come from?

Olympique de Marseille and Southern France.

Since my support and votes come from the fans of this club, naturally, I would be very reluctant to give up on it. People here see me as a hero for bringing success. Now, especially if I want my political power to last, it’s crucial for me to maintain my influence here and keep my support strong.

So, the best course of action is?

To find a puppet, a puppet who will sit in the club and control their day-to-day operations while he’s battling his political responsibilities.

’This woman is ruthless,’

Richard thought to himself. ’

But also a genius.’

She was essentially allowing herself to become a puppet—just to get a foothold in Olympique de Marseille—willing to be controlled by both Tapie and him if it meant running the club.

Karren simply nodded, a serious expression on her face.

"What’s the worst that could happen if he’s found guilty?" he asked.

"The club could be immediately relegated to Division Two," Karren replied matter-of-factly.

Which means all his investment could be wasted, and the club’s revenue might plummet since the income from France’s second division doesn’t compare to that of the top flight. Add to that the hostility—there’s a chance they might target him personally, which could lead to OM and himself going bankrupt instantly and losing all his power to lobby later.

Richard leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing the others in the room. "So, you’re saying I should put my money into this club and let you run it?"

Karren nodded again.

"But why? Why shouldn’t I just buy the club and run it myself?"

Karren shook her head. "It’s not worth it. With the current corruption scandal blowing up over there, every club will be investigated by the DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion). If they find your involvement directly, it could lead to investigations or even restrictions being imposed." She paused before continuing, "Especially if City ever competes in the UEFA Champions League in the future."

"..."

Richard rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful. An idea started to take shape in his mind, though he wasn’t entirely sure about it yet.

"Miss Heysen, please help me. I need you to gather all the details — a complete list of all active players in both France’s Division One and Division Two."

Hearing this, Miss Heysen nodded, while Karren frowned, unsure of what he was planning.

Once that was settled, Richard also called Adam Lewis, an expert in matters like this.

Two hours later, a total of 21 pages were laid out on Richard’s table, and Adam Lewis knocked on the door before entering.

He was taken aback upon seeing a woman in Richard’s office.

Without any formalities, Richard explained his plan to Lewis.

"You must’ve gone mad!"

Was his response to Richard’s nonsensical idea.

"..."

"You do realize," Lewis continued, "from FIFA to UEFA, and even down to their domestic and regional bodies—they strictly prohibit dual ownership of football clubs that compete in the same European competitions, right?"

Richard coughed a little before whispering devilishly, "That’s why I pay you so well, isn’t it? To come up with solutions in situations like this...?"

"I—"

In the end, Lewis was at a loss for words. He wasn’t wrong, after all.

"What exactly do you have in mind? Because I must warn you—this could lead to sanctions, forced divestment, or even criminal charges for fraud or regulatory evasion."

Richard nodded and explained what he had in mind.