The 2005-06 campaign delivered a devastating end to FC Koln's brief return to the top flight as Die Geißböcke finished a crushing 17th in the Bundesliga, resulting in immediate relegation. Leading the line with his powerful left foot was the young, iconic forward Lukas Podolski, who scored 12 crucial goals in an effort to keep the team up almost single-handedly. Despite the club's struggles, Podolski's sensational form, which had already made him a star for the German national team, secured him a high-profile, highly anticipated transfer to rivals Bayern Munich that summer, marking his departure as a painful yet defining chapter in the club's modern history.