The 2003-04 campaign delivered a devastating end for Empoli as the Azzurri finished a crushing 17th in Serie A, resulting in relegation back to the second tier. Despite the turmoil, the season was defined by the emergence of a talented attacking partnership, led by Tommaso Rocchi, whose vital 11 league goals marked a personal best for him at the club. The campaign's greatest drama came in a match against the eventual champions AC Milan, where the Azzurri held the star-studded Rossoneri at the Stadio Castellani for 81 minutes, only to lose 0-1 to a late, iconic wonder-strike by a young Kaká, marking a painful yet defining chapter for the club.