Borussia Dortmund engage in perhaps their most important game of the season tomorrow as arch-rivals Bayern Munich come to town for a colossal Der Klassiker in the Bundesliga.
With the DFB Pokal already gone, BVB's Champions League push also came to an end on Wednesday following a monumental collapse to Atalanta in the knockout playoffs.
The league crown is their last hope of a silverware this season, although that too could effectively fade away with a loss on Saturday.
Bayern are eight points ahead of Dortmund, who drew to RB Leipzig in their last game to see the gap widened and a defeat for the hosts tomorrow would see it extended by a further three points with only 10 games remaining.
Given their barnstorming run in the league right now, it's difficult to see the Bavarians slip up such a healthy advantage at such a crucial juncture into the season.
Like Dortmund, they too have lost just once in the top-flight this season when Augsburg pulled off a shock 2-1 win over Bayern at the Allianz Arena on 24 January.
Besides, there have only been three other occasions in the Bundesliga this season where the defending German champions dropped points - a troika of 2-2 draws to Union Berlin, Mainz and Hamburger.
It's a testament to Bayern's dominant run in the league as the side aims for a record-extending 35th title in the competition. Sure, the Champions League could be a distraction as the tournament enters the crucial knockout stages.
Interestingly, Vincent Kompany's side have drawn Dortmund's conquerors Atalanta for the round of 16. Gli Orobici turned a 2-0 deficit into a 4-3 aggregate victory this week with a dominant display in the second leg to send the BVB packing.
It gives Atalanta the confidence to face Bayern next, hosting them for the first leg on 10 March before the return leg in Munich on 18 March. During this period, the Bavarians play a couple of tricky looking fixtures in the Bundesliga.
Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin are up next for them after the Der Klassiker tomorrow; teams which have ruffled Bayern's feathers in recent times and could give them a serious run for their money again.
As much as Dortmund will be hoping to see their eternal rivals slip up some more, it all really comes down to Saturday's epic showdown with Bayern for them. Do or die.