The 2004-05 campaign was a season of near-miss and turbulence for Anderlecht as the Purple and White fell just three points short, finishing a competitive 2nd in the First Division behind rivals Club Brugge. Despite a mid-season managerial change and a difficult Champions League group stage run, the club's domestic challenge was defined by the stunning form of prolific striker Nenad Jestrović, whose league-leading 18 goals earned him the title of the season's best striker. It was a year of consolidation and transition that also saw the powerful emergence of a young Vincent Kompany at the back, confirming the club's status as a formidable force in Belgian football.