The 2004-05 campaign was a pivotal season for Los Nervionenses, with the club securing a vital 6th-place finish in La Liga under manager Joaquín Caparrós, which earned a coveted return to European competition for the first time in nine years. Spearheading the attack was the sensational Brazilian star Júlio Baptista, whose 18 league goals led the team's scoring charts. The season was also notable for featuring the young, burgeoning talent of Sergio Ramos in defense and, despite an agonizing Round of 16 exit to Parma in the UEFA Cup, this year, which marked the club's centenary, is now seen as the crucial foundation for their soon-to-begin golden era of European dominance.