The 2004–05 Bundesliga was the 42nd season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. It commenced on August 6, 2004, and concluded on May 28, 2005. The season featured 18 clubs, with each team playing 34 matches (two against every other team, one home and one away).
Overview FC Bayern Munich secured their 19th Bundesliga title, marking their third championship in four seasons and their 18th German national championship overall. They finished three points ahead of rivals FC Schalke 04, who mounted a strong challenge throughout the season. The title race went down to the penultimate matchday.
Teams The league consisted of 18 teams. The three promoted teams from the 2. Bundesliga following the 2003–04 season were 1. FC Nürnberg, Arminia Bielefeld, and 1. FSV Mainz 05. They replaced the relegated teams of the 2003–04 season: 1. FC Köln, Eintracht Frankfurt, and TSV 1860 Munich.
League Standings and European Qualification
- Champions League: FC Bayern Munich (group stage), FC Schalke 04 (group stage), Werder Bremen (third qualifying round)
- UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League): Hertha BSC, VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen, and 1. FSV Mainz 05 (via fair play award).
- Intertoto Cup: Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV.
Relegation At the end of the season, the bottom three teams were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga:
- Hansa Rostock
- VfL Bochum
- SC Freiburg
Top Goalscorers The top goalscorer for the 2004–05 Bundesliga season was Marek Mintál of 1. FC Nürnberg, who scored 24 goals.
Key Events and Statistics
- Duration: The season ran from August 6, 2004, to May 28, 2005.
- Total Matches: 306
- Total Goals: 879 (average 2.87 goals per match)
- Attendance: Approximately 11.5 million spectators attended matches throughout the season, averaging around 37,500 per game, which was a record at the time.
The 2004–05 season was notable for its competitive title race and the strong performance of newly promoted 1. FSV Mainz 05, who not only avoided relegation comfortably but also qualified for the UEFA Cup via the fair play ranking in their debut Bundesliga season.