After 18 long years. Their last title in 1990-1991. They beat Rennes, 3-1 and with two matches to spare won their ninth domestic title. It sparked mad celebrations with fans diving in the sea at the Vieux Port. Key moments in their season:
Jan 30: Marseille slump to a 2-0 defeat at promoted Montpellier and drop 12 points off the pace.
“We realised we could not go on like this,” said winger Mathieu Valbuena. “The ‘old ones’ reminded us that Marseille was a great club, a club like no other one.”
Feb 28: Marseille beat arch-rivals Paris St Germain at the Parc des Princes with goals by Hatem Ben Arfa, Lucho Gonzalez and Benoit Cheyrou.
March 27: They thrash Girondins Bordeaux 3-1 in the League Cup final, winning the club’s first title since the 1993 Champions League.
“It was a huge boost for us. We were also much calmer after this victory,” said forward Hatem Ben Arfa.
April 17: Marseille clinch a 2-1 victory at Boulogne with Taye Taiwo scoring the winner from the penalty spot four minutes into added time. The result came three days after Stephane Mbia’s 88th-minute goal secured a 1-0 win at Sochaux.
Mamadou Niang continues to be spectacular and this evergreen player scored 16 goals to become the joint top scorer of the Ligue. Didier Deschamps famously derided as a water carrier by Eric Cantona turned this club’s fortunes around when he joined in the summer of 2009 as manager.
L’OM at one point 6th in the table in the 27th week looked like falling off the pace but they won nine out of ten to roar back to first position.