0–2 in the Derby of the Century: Dortmund, 12 May 2007. A unique constellation in the history of the Ruhr derby. Schalke had the chance to become German champions in the stadium of arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund. The BVB players, who had only just escaped relegation fears a week earlier in Wolfsburg, wanted nothing to do with that. “We wanted to save the season ideologically,” striker Alexander Frei said in 2019 – and then led by example.
He made it 1–0 before the break and set the entire Signal Iduna Park alight. After Ebi Smolarek’s 2–0, Schalke’s title dream was virtually dead. VfB Stuttgart won 3–2 in nearby Bochum, moved to the top on matchday 33 and then beat Energie Cottbus 2–1 to win the title.
Dortmund had salvaged a miserable season with that derby win. When everything was decided a week later, the black-and-yellow mockery poured down on Gelsenkirchen. A plane circled above the Veltins-Arena carrying a black-and-yellow banner: “A whole lifetime, and never the trophy in your hands.”