The 2001-02 campaign was a legendary, yet heartbreaking, season for Bayer Leverkusen, forever etched in history as the "Treble of Second-Place" or 'Bayer Neverkusen' year. Die Werkself, led by manager Klaus Toppmöller, mounted an incredible title challenge to finish a spectacular 2nd in the Bundesliga. Spearheading the charge was the sensational Michael Ballack, whose 17 league goals (and 6 in the Champions League) powered a side that also featured a young, emerging talent in Dimitar Berbatov. The season's true drama came in the cups, as Leverkusen reached both the DFB-Pokal final (losing to Schalke 04) and, most memorably, the UEFA Champions League Final, where they fell 2-1 to Real Madrid, defined by Zinedine Zidane's spectacular winning volley. Despite the ultimate lack of silverware, this team's brilliant European run remains a defining, ambitious, and bittersweet chapter in the club's history.