Nobody in Bielefeld dreamed of a miracle anymore.
After all, the farewell performance of DSC Arminia in the 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig, the second half of the Bundesliga, seemed like a big promise.
"Today was the start of the new season for me," said interim coach Marco Kostmann after the club's eighth Bundesliga relegation.
While the Saxons, fourth in the final table, were happy to note the qualification for the Champions League, the East Westphalians enjoyed the warm applause of their supporters, which almost gave the impression that the seventeenth in the final table had climbed up again.
Eight professionals, led by the fabulous goalkeeper Stefan Ortega Moreno, were bid farewell before the game.
So the club, which is economically consolidated differently than in previous relegations, is once again facing a change.
The fact that club icon Fabian Klos is not leaving as he announced after a skull fracture in April in the 1-1 draw against VfB Stuttgart, but would like to stay with his heart club for another year, was the message on Friday that the fans got returned optimism.
The Bielefeld record striker (161 goals) is still a long way from recovery.
Goalkeeper Ortega Moreno, in the draw against RB through the goals of Serra (70th minute) and Orban (90th + 3) as so often the high-flyer of his team, let the tears run free at the farewell performance for "his" club.
He, who has been Armine since 2007, interrupted by a trip to TSV Munich 1860, did not rule out a second comeback at his home club.
"You should never say never, I've come back before."