The 2014-15 campaign, marking the arrival of attack-minded manager Roger Schmidt, saw Die Werkself secure a crucial 4th-place finish in the Bundesliga, locking in a UEFA Champions League play-off spot. Leading the vibrant forward line was the prolific Karim Bellarabi, whose 12 league goals proved decisive, alongside the explosive talent of Son Heung-min and veteran striker Stefan Kießling, who topped the club's overall scoring charts with 18 goals. The team's season was defined by a strong European run, where they qualified for the Champions League knockout stages and were only agonizingly eliminated in the Round of 16 by Atlético Madrid following a dramatic penalty shootout. It was a defining chapter that solidified the club's return to the elite under the high-pressing philosophy of Schmidt.