The 2004-05 campaign delivered a tense struggle for Real Sociedad as urdinak ultimately secured a crucial 14th-place finish in La Liga, dramatically falling short of their high ambitions. Leading the charge was the prolific Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci, whose 13 goals proved vital in a campaign built on grit and battling to avoid the drop. It was a challenging year that was dramatically defined by a devastating mid-season ACL injury to Nihat, which cut short his third consecutive season as the team's top goalscorer, and the subsequent fight for survival remains a stressful but memorable chapter in the club's history.