The 2005-06 campaign delivered a vital return to consistent European qualification for Olympique Marseille as OM surged to a respectable 5th-place finish in Ligue 1. Spearheading the attack was the prolific Mamadou Niang, whose 10 league goals were crucial in a season built on the breakthrough brilliance of young star Franck Ribéry and the veteran presence of goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. Though they were runners-up in the Coupe de France Final, the season, which saw them win the Intertoto Cup, was a defining chapter that marked the club's push back towards the summit of French football.