Head coach René Girard saw Bocaly as a right-sided defender who liked to go forward; he was certainly productive at both ends of the pitch in the early part of the 2011–12 season. While helping the defence keep three clean sheets in the first five matches, he set up Montpellier's second goal of a 3–1 win over Auxerre in the opening game, was fouled for a penalty to open the scoring in a 4–0 defeat of Rennes on matchday three, and crossed for Souleymane Camara to score the only goal against Nice on matchday five. In the first half of the season, after which they lay second in the table, three points behind big-spending Paris Saint-Germain, who reportedly paid €6 million more for one player than Montpellier's entire €36m budget. Bocaly started 13 of the 19 matches; in the second half, all but one. A run of four wins in January and February without conceding a goalin the second of which, against Nice, Bocaly assisted Giroud's last-minute winnertook them top, at least until PSG played their game in hand. They remained contenders. At the beginning of April, Bocaly told the press he thought the title race was between Montpellier, PSG and Lille, the reigning champions; with two matches left, this was still the case, but a stoppage-time winner against Lille left Montpellier needing only to draw at Auxerre, whose relegation was already confirmed. Bocaly said it would be difficult, but he had "every faith in the spirit of this team to be champions". His faith was justified: against a background of home supporters protesting by throwing tennis balls, toilet rolls and firecrackers onto the pitch, causing twenty minutes' worth of delays, a 2–1 win confirmed Montpellier's first ever league title.