Monday marked the start of Champions League final week and Dortmund is duly abuzz as supporters ready themselves for London. But it also marked one year since the miserable day that Borussia Dortmund blew the Bundesliga title. You might recall the scenes of disbelief.
Needing only victory at home to Mainz to end Bayern Munich's decade of dominance in Germany, the parade plans were already in place. Instead, Dortmund could only scrape their way to a 2-2 draw. Dreams dashed.
Outside the stadium, there were the usual recriminations. The exuberance of Edin Terzic, the team's fan-turned-coach who had ridden the emotions to carry them to the brink of the title, was reframed. Had he been naïve? Were these players ready to win? Inside the stadium, there was none of that.
Those were conversations for another time. There was only a community united in disappointment. Terzic was in tears as he and his players applauded the supporters who did just that - supported their broken team.
Even so, how do you recover from such a setback? Speaking to Carsten Cramer, Dortmund's managing director, on a trip to the city earlier this season, it was the question to ask. "Maybe you have seen the pictures," he replied. "What happened with the players, what happened with the coach.
That is Dortmund." That is Dortmund, indeed. It is just one reason why their return to the biggest stage - the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley on Saturday - is such a cause for celebration.
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