The 2009-10 campaign was a season of soaring ambition and dramatic upheaval for Metz, as Les Grenats mounted a serious challenge for promotion before ultimately securing a respectable 4th-place finish in Ligue 2. The first half of the season was defined by the sensational form of their emerging striker, Papiss Cissé, whose 8 crucial goals anchored their powerful attack and put them firmly in contention for the top flight. However, Cissé's impressive performances earned him a high-profile, mid-season transfer to Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, a departure that remains a bittersweet, defining moment that ultimately saw the team fall agonizingly short of promotion.