The 2001-02 campaign was a season of consolidation and transition for Hamburger SV, with The Rothosen securing a respectable 11th-place finish in the Bundesliga under manager Kurt Jara. The season was instantly defined by the mid-season acquisition of Argentine striker Bernardo Romeo, whose 8 crucial goals proved decisive as he immediately made his mark, compensating for Sergej Barbarez's loss of form. It was a solid mid-table year that established Romeo as a key figure and remains a stable chapter for The Rothosen, sitting comfortably ten points clear of relegation.