Poese made two changes at the break, brining on Naika Reissner and Jenny Hipp, who had only arrived in midweek, for Bauereisen and Janež, but they were helpless as Bruun got her second only three minutes into the half, following a mix up at the back. She had time and space in the box and gave Wagner no chance.

But Reissner is a handful at the worst of times, and almost straight away she set off down the left, the ball stuck to her toe like it was glued. She slid a pass through to Dina Orschmann, inside, who placed the finest of low shots across Misa, through the eye of a needle, and inside the back post to make it 3-1.

Mel Wagner was off after an hour for Nadine Böhi, alongside Dina and Katja Orschmann who departed for Celine Frank and Athanasia Moraitou. Böhi’s first touch of ball coming as she held a corner at her near post calmly at head height before Schneider made another excellent intervention, this time on the German international, and substitute, Sara Däbritz. She then stopped Athenea’s shot point blank, turning her back to escape the fate that had befallen Weiß earlier on.

Union couldn’t have come closer as Frank played Campbell in on goal with 20 minutes to go. She took a touch past Misa and seemed certain to score but held her head in her hands as she saw the ball crash back off the post having done all the hard work. But still as she was down the ball had come the way of Hipp who hit a superb drive from 25 yards, bending away from the Real stopper, but still Misa managed to get it away. Heiseler almost bettered it soon after when her own long-range shot flew just wide of the top right corner.

Union were not going to go down without a fight and again Moraitou and Heiseler combined to try to play Campbell in as she darted into the box. But as the sun bore down, and the clock ticked over, they started to tire and could thank Böhi for saving efforts from Pau and Alba Redondo, even if neither was struck with wicked pace, as well as substitute, Anna Aehling, for a well-judged tackle on the dangerous Pau.

After the final whistle the fans stayed in their thousands to give their love, to show their pride. Despite the loss. For this had been a huge occasion, a moment of monumental pride.