Cologne, Germany. On the warmest day of the year so far in the Rhineland, Cologne’s parks and pavement cafés were already full.
Outside 1.FC Köln’s RheinEnergieStadion, fans lay on the lawns outside the stadium gates sipping Kölsch beer and soaking up the first sun of the year.
The atmosphere was more akin to the opening day of the season or a carefree summer friendly than a must-win game in a tense relegation battle.
But if any game deserved the title of “must-win,” then this was it for FC Köln, six points behind visitors Mainz with just six games remaining.
When Mainz last visited the cathedral city on the final day of last season, a 2-0 win for Cologne secured qualification for European competition for the first time in 25 years.
The fans stormed the pitch, the coach was drenched in beer and chants of “Europapokal!” (European Cup!) echoed around for hours after the game.
Eleven months later, Cologne’s emotional rollercoaster has taken them to London, Belarus, Belgrade – and the Bundesliga relegation zone.
“To be honest I’m not even thinking about it anymore,” said Cologne fan Peter behind the south stand terrace, the home of the club’s vocal hardcore.
“I think we’re already relegated and I don’t even want to have the hope anymore!”
It’s the hope that kills. A last-minute derby triumph over Borussia Mönchengladbach and a 2-0 win away at relegation rivals Hamburg had pulses racing - but were followed by four games without a win.
Another derby win over Bayer Leverkusen was followed by a 6-0 hammering in Hoffenheim.
And the rollercoaster continued against Mainz when German international Jonas Hector gave Cologne the lead after just seven minutes, but the hosts failed to press their advantage.
Striker Simon Terodde had the perfect chance to double Cologne’s lead from just five yards out – but he missed and, predictably, Mainz went straight on the counter-attack and equalized.
It could have got even worse for Cologne but Robin Quaison’s shot came back off the post - so fine are the margins in a relegation battle.
Time was running out and desperation setting in. Deafening whistles greeted any decision which didn’t go Cologne’s way and audible groans accompanied wayward passes from the home team.
Veteran striker Claudio Pizarro was brought on to give Cologne two up front, and he would have become an instant hero had Mainz goalkeeper Rene Adler not pulled off a stunning save from the Peruvian’s header. But it wasn’t enough.
The 50,000 sell-out crowd headed back into town to join the masses sunbathing by Cologne’s lakes and enjoy the afternoon rays.
But FC Köln’s own ray of hope has now disappeared.
