The former president of Olympique Lyonnais shared his great sadness after the death of Bernard Lacombe, his former right arm at OL.
A French football monument has gone. At 72, Bernard Lacombe former player and director of Olympique Lyonnais, but also from Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux, died this Tuesday, June 17, carried away by the disease. OL did not fail to pay tribute to its former scorer, “a legend, the greatest of all” and Jean-Michel Aulas, former president of the Rhone club also paid tribute to the one who was his advisor for 37 years.
“Bernard, my brother. What sadness! I was with you yesterday afternoon, surrounded by friends. I knew, deep down, that you were going to join – you who are believing – paradise. You gave us so much: OL, to the French team, but also to all those who have had the chance to know you ”He wrote in a message published on Instagram, accompanied by a photo showing the two men side by side.
“It is thanks to Claude Bez, in Bordeaux, that your return to Lyon was able to be made. I know you rest in peace, he added. Because beyond being a huge footballer, you were a deeply good and funny man: a very dear friend. I learned everything from football by your side. And much more. »»
“With him, Lyon has become the largest club in France”
Jean-Michel Aulas also mentioned the memory of his old right-hand man in several media. “This is terrible news but relief. He suffered a lot. When we make the film of the 37 years spent together professionally, we always tend to think of beautiful stories. We cannot deny that it is a whole life that takes place quickly. Bernard was one of those men, these exceptional footballers. He was an exceptional man, He thus entrusted to the microphone of RMC. All the people who knew him know how funny and relevant he could be. As far as I’m concerned, it had become my brother. It was more than a friend, it had become a confidant with whom we shared everything. I had learned to love him through man and footballer. He taught me everything. We were lucky to have more happy moments than unhappy. We spent exceptional days and nights. Bernard is someone apart. »»
“With him, Lyon has become the largest club in France. It was Claude Bez (President of the Girondins of Bordeaux from 1978 to 1991) who had told me: “If you want to succeed, you have to take two Lyonnais with different but complementary personalities”, he explained in the columns of The team. It was Raymond Domenech and especially Bernard Lacombe. He arrived immediately, in 1988, and we never left each other. He was a boy with incredible qualities, we trained a duo at all times. He was one of the greatest players that France had known, but also a good man, who wanted to do good. »»
