The 2003–04 season was a disappointing campaign by Bayern Munich’s lofty standards. Despite having a star-studded squad and legendary manager Ottmar Hitzfeld at the helm, the team failed to win any major silverware. The dominance of Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga and early exits in Europe led to serious introspection at the club, resulting in Hitzfeld’s departure by season’s end.
🏆 Bayern Munich 2003–04 Season Highlights
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Bundesliga: ❌ 2nd Place (70 pts), 6 points behind champions Werder Bremen
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DFB-Pokal: ❌ Knocked out in the 2nd Round
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DFB-Ligapokal: ✅ Winners – (beat Borussia Dortmund 2–4 in final)
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UEFA Champions League: ❌ Round of 16 (eliminated by Real Madrid 2–1 on aggregate)
➡️ A trophyless domestic campaign (aside from the preseason Ligapokal) sparked structural change
🔴 Bayern Munich Key Squad – 2003–04
Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld (replaced by Felix Magath after the season)
Goalkeepers
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Oliver Kahn (Captain)
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Michael Rensing
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Bernd Dreher
Defenders
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Willy Sagnol
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Samuel Kuffour
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Robert Kovač
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Tobias Rau
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Bixente Lizarazu (returned mid-season)
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Thomas Linke
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Hasan Salihamidžić (also played midfield)
Midfielders
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Michael Ballack
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Mehmet Scholl
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Jens Jeremies
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Sebastian Deisler
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Owen Hargreaves
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Zé Roberto
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Ali Karimi (joined in summer after the season)
Forwards
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Roy Makaay (top scorer)
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Claudio Pizarro
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Roque Santa Cruz
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Alexander Zickler
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Paulo Sérgio (departed prior to season)
