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.. The 2005-06 campaign was a season of struggle and deep frustration for Real Sociedad as Urdinak finished a precarious 16th in La Liga, narrowly escaping the relegation battle in a difficult year. However, the season marked the crucial emergence of the young, local hero Xabi Prieto, who anchored the attack as the team's top goalscorer with 9 goals (notably scoring six of them from the penalty spot). In a campaign where the team finished with a significant negative goal difference and a tumultuous atmosphere, Prieto's reliability proved vital for a club trying to find stability in what was unfortunately their penultimate season in the Spanish top flight.