OM deserve Euro spot

In the first few months of this season's championship, Marseille seemed to be the only team capable of challenging five-time champions Lyon. But that hope was severely dented when Gerard Houllier's men humiliated them 4-1 in their own Stade Velodrome at the end of October.

With Lyon evolving on another planet, there seemed no choice but to aim for a runners-up finish, but even that goal quickly distanced itself as the south coast club fell to three consecutive defeats following that severe setback.

Struggling to find a system that would suit Djibril Cisse, too often deprived of their main assets - Frank Ribery spent several weeks on the sidelines through injury - and a victim of their young defence's inexperience, Marseille seemed certain to complete yet another disappointing year to which their supporters have been accustomed in the last few years.

That impression was confirmed with the club lying in 8th place at the end of March following their 12th league defeat of the season away to lowly Lorient. But two men came to the rescue and have brought their team back to the summit in record time.

First, Albert Emon, OM's coach, is a discreet man who lets his team speak for him on the pitch. Despite criticism and scepticism, the former player stuck to his attacking philosophy, teaching his players that success would only come if some risk was taken.

As such – Lyon excepted – Marseille have been the only Ligue 1 team to have displayed an offensive and entertaining approach of the game. Though risky, the club conceded an average of over a goal a game, and although it took a while for it to work, the system started to give the expected results and allowed the team's young prodigy Samir Nasri to shine.

Winner of the young player award last weekend, and arguably the best player in France this season, there is no doubt that Nasri has been at the heart of his club's success. Still very young, the 19-year-old imposed his Zidane-like style in midfield and was the inspiration in the club's comeback. Skilful, quick and gifted with great vision, Nasri assumed Ribery's role and lead the way when his team seemed to have lost it.

Following the Lorient disaster, the Olympians were seven points off second-placed Lens with eight games left. Since then, following Nasri's lead, an incredible run of six wins and a draw has handed them their long-awaited Champions League ticket.

With Nasri dictating play from midfield as if he had done it all his life, with Ribery back to his World Cup form, and with Cisse scoring goals galore once again, Marseille were simply irresistible. Even the cruel defeat on penalties against Sochaux in the Coupe de France final did not alter their League run.

This is why having Marseille back in the Champions League looks like a well-deserved achievement. In a world of football where managers get the sack as often as Paris-Saint-Germain lose a game, it is with great pleasure, and somewhat a little irony, that we witness a club that has based its philosophy on stability and attacking football get the reward for their efforts.