The 2017-18 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak for 1. FC Köln as Die Geißböcke, despite securing a long-awaited return to the UEFA Europa League for the first time in 25 years, finished a crushing 18th in the Bundesliga and were relegated. The season was defined by a disastrous league start, including a record-long 16-game winless streak that saw manager Peter Stöger replaced mid-season. Despite the emergence of joint-top league scorers Leonardo Bittencourt and January signing Simon Terodde, who each notched 5 goals, the team could not arrest their slide, culminating in a turbulent year that marked a dark chapter for the club's modern history.