Previously, in Class Act Episode 5, Tapie became the Minister of Urban Affairs in 1992 after a meeting with President François Mitterrand. The President admired Tapie’s charisma, energy, and dedication to improving the prospects of young people. Nicole resigned due to growing debts and her disagreements with Tapie on how to handle them. Tapie’s impulsive decision to discuss the lawsuit with the president in front of journalists led to a great catastrophe in his life. This marked the end of Tapie’s political career. In the sixth episode of Class Act, Tapie returned to his business, selling Adidas and working to rebuild his reputation by revitalizing his club, Olympique de Marseille.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Dominique Leave Tapie?
Class Act Episode 6 began with Tapie taking a dive into the water and confiding in Dominique about restarting his career. Dominique wanted Tapie to leave politics, but even though Tapie promised her, he still had a desire to return to politics. Tapie and Dominique arranged a meeting with Coupant to address the lawsuit. Coupant was determined to make Tapie pay 60 million francs, but Dominique surprised everyone by revealing Coupant’s own involvement in illegal tax evasion with another company. This revelation posed a significant threat to Coupant’s reputation and career, compelling him to reconsider the lawsuit. After negotiations, both parties reached an agreement to settle the case for 12 million francs.
Meanwhile, Tapie’s reputation started to turn upward again. After rejoining his football team, Olympique de Marseille, he put pressure on his players to win, showing little concern for sportsmanship. This approach made the team’s general manager, Jean Pierre Bernes, feel pressured under Tapie’s growing demands. It was evident that Tapie had a strong desire to restore his reputation by rejuvenating his team, but he didn’t pay much attention to the players. Despite the frustration of the team players, they persevered, maintaining their commitment to sportsmanship. In the midst of this, Tapie wasn’t initially considering a return to politics, but one of his former ministry staff advised him that winning the European Cup could pave his way for a run at the Mayor of Marseille position. Though Tapie initially ignored him, the piece of advice triggered his ambition.
In the midst of all this, Dominique tried to explore new business opportunities, suggesting the idea of selling kitchen appliances like food processors. However, Tapie didn’t like this idea at all. He had his sights set on becoming mayor and then aiming for the position of president at the Elysée. This difference of opinion led to a heated argument between Tapie and Dominique, as Tapie’s political ambitions were growing stronger. Eventually, Dominique decided to step away from him. Meanwhile, Tapie’s daughter, Stephanie, began dating a guy named Etienne. When Dominique saw her on a date with Etienne, it brought back memories of the irreplaceable bond she and Bernard had shared in their initial days. But Tapie, though missing Dominique, remained more focused on his career aspirations. He started scheming on how to win the European Cup to secure his position in the mayoral race once and for all.
Did Glassman File A Complaint Against Olympique De Marseille?
In his relentless pursuit of power, the general manager of Olympique de Marseille, Jean Pierre Bernes, strongly advised Tapie against taking any drastic actions that could harm their careers and tarnish their image. However, Tapie’s desperation grew, leading him to arrange a secret meeting with Jean. During this meeting, Tapie proposed the idea of buying the allegiance of players from the opposing club, Valenciennes FC, specifically Christopher Robert and Jean-Jacques Glassmann. Jean-Pierre Bernes strongly warned Tapie against the risky idea of fixing the match. He knew it could harm their careers and damage their reputations. Tapie, on the other hand, was known for his bold and adventurous approach to life. He was willing to take calculated risks to achieve his goals. To him, this match-fixing plan seemed like a daring move to secure his position and achieve his political dreams. Despite Bernes’ advice, Tapie’s determination and risk-taking nature led him to go through with the plan, fully aware of the potential consequences.
Compelled by the circumstances, Jean Pierre, in turn, reached out to Jean-Jacques Eyedelie, one of the greatest players of the Olympique de Marseille and a close friend of Glassmann. Together, Eyedelie and Jean Pierre contacted Glassmann and two other Valenciennes players, striking a deal to let Marseille win the upcoming match. Marseille even paid half a million in cash upfront, which the players concealed underground.
However, the following day, Glassmann, who was a man of principles, changed his mind and brought about the beginning of the end of Tapie’s career. Glassmann, who respected his team, couldn’t bear to betray it and came forward to confess the match-fixing plot to the referee. Despite Olympique de Marseille having a winning advantage, the referee halted the match. However, when the referee confronted team president Tapie, he completely denied the allegations and claimed that Glassmann was fabricating the story to defame Olympique de Marseille.
However, Glassmann had already documented his complaint, and it found its way to the Republic’s prosecution. While Marseilles celebrated its win and the opportunity to play in the finals, Glassmann’s complaint left a lingering tension in Tapie’s mind. Meanwhile, neither Dominique nor Tapie could stay apart for long, so they eventually reunited. Interestingly, at the end of Class Act episode 6, it came to light that Tapie and Dominique had made commitments similar to marriage and lived together as a couple, but they were never legally wed. This unusual situation stemmed from the fact that all their business assets were registered in Dominique’s name.
Perhaps, legally, Dominique couldn’t have married someone with the criminal record that Tapie had, as he had been stripped of the right to own a business. Perhaps there were other reasons behind their decision not to marry, but the series left this aspect unexplained, leaving it open to speculation. In the final episode of Class Act, we can expect a dramatic climax to Tapie’s troubled life. The show could explore if Tapie can make amends or face the fallout of his actions. There may be surprises, maybe a wedding with Dominique, and a peek into his ultimate fate. The last episode will likely provide a gripping conclusion to Bernard Tapie’s life.
