And then, the inevitable happened. Borussia Dortmund, cruising on the back of a 16-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to emerge as title contenders, got beaten 3-2 by holders Bayern Munich.
Joshua Kimmich struck an 87th-minute winner for the leaders, whose lead at the top of the table now extends to 11 points with only 10 games remaining. So, a record-extending 34th top-flight crown beckons?
This was rightfully billed as a title-deciding clash; the most consequential Der Klassiker of recent memory since Dortmund had come agonizingly close to Bayern in recent weeks to open up the race for the Meisterschale.
Niko Kovac's side knew all too well they had to win on Saturday, by hook or by crook, and it seemed like they were on their way towards achieving it too as Nico Schlotterbeck's opener had them in front at the break.
But the Bavarians exerted their domaince after the break, led by the peerless Harry Kane, while Kimmich netted a deft winner just minutes after Daniel Svensson's equalizer appeared to have snatched a point for Dortmund.
Having already lost the DFB Pokal and Champions League, the Bundesliga remained their last hope of a silverware this season. But that too appears to have completely evaporated.
Some grim stats from the Klassiker loss
1) Unbeaten run ends
Dortmund entered the clash on the back of the longest active unbeaten run in the Bundesliga this season, having gone 16 in a row without a defeat since the last one on 18 October against Bayern. Ironically, that run also ended against them on Saturday.
2) First home loss
The loss was also Dortmund's first at home this season. Prior to this, their only defeat of the campaign was away at the Allianz Arena. Saturday marked their second top-flight loss of the season and a first at home.
In all competitions, it was Dortmund's third defeat at the Signal Iduna Park this season, having lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal and Inter Milan in the Champions League too.
3) First league double in four years
For the first time since the 2021-22 season, Dortmund lost both their league games to Bayern. It's a testament to Bavarians reasserting their dominance in the most fabled rivalry of German top-flight.
However, unlike their recent clashes, both their losses this season were close: the BVB lost the first clash 2-1 and then 3-2, having come extremely close to securing a draw.
4) Guirassy still goalless in Klassiker
Serhou Guirassy has been a goalscoring machine for Dortmund since joining in 2024, but his luck appears to always run out against Bayern. In four Der Klassiker appearances with the Black and Yellows, the Guinean star has not bagged a single goal. Not even an assist.
In fact, the 29-year-old has scored just one goal in seven games against Bayern, coming with VfB Stuttgart in a 2-2 draw back in the 2022-23 season. Dortmund will be hoping he could find his shooting boots in the German Clasico too when the rivals go head-to-head again next season.
5) Consecutive defeats for the first time under Kovac
Dortmund's loss to Bayern in the Bundesliga came just days after their Champions League defeat to Atalanta, making it the first time under Niko Kovac that BVB suffered consecutive losses in all competitions.
The good thing is, it reflects the stability that Dortmund have achieved under the astute Croatian, who has turned them into one of the most robust teams that are hard to beat too. But it also indicates a loss of form now, especially against the big sides.