The 2011-12 campaign was a season of dramatic, transformative change for Monaco as Les Monegasques ultimately secured an 8th-place finish in Ligue 2 after battling against relegation for much of the year. The club's destiny pivoted decisively in December 2011 when Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev bought a majority stake, injecting vast new ambition into the struggling club. Under the guidance of new coach Marco Simone, new signing Ibrahima Touré became the beacon of this renewed hope, firing in 10 crucial goals to help stabilize the team. This turbulent but pivotal year, which also saw the return of veteran Ludovic Giuly, marked the true beginning of the project that would eventually return the historic club to the top flight.