In terms of history, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim are one of the minnows of the Bundesliga and not particularly popular given their status as a village club whose rise up the football pyramind was bankrolled by billionaire Dietmar Hopp.
But this season, it appeared that their seven-year stay in the German top flight was about to come to an end after a horrendous start to this season.
After the first 21 league games of this season, the club which previously staffed Roberto Firmino and Demba Ba had won just twice and lay second-bottom.
That's exactly around the time they turned to a relatively unknown 28-year-old coach by the name of Julian Nagelsmann was appointed as manager.
A former player whose career had been curtailed due to knee injuries, he had been due to take charge of the club from next season after Huub Stevens, but was given the reins early.
Since matchday 22, the youngest manager in Bundesliga history has led Hoffenheim to six wins and two draws from his first 10 games in charge to lift the club up to 13th with just four games to go.
German football writer Uli Hesse joined us on Off The Ball and explained how current Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel helped Nagelsmann down the coaching route and the circumstances that led to his appointment.
"Everything about it is stunning. He did well in youth football, but it's not as if everybody knew his name. When the club announced that Huub Stevens would only coach the team until the end of the season and then Julian Nagelsmann would take over, 95% of people went: Julian who - and why?" said Uli, who also explained that going for an inexperienced name in a Bundesliga relegation battle is not unprecedented.
"When you look at Hoffenheim play, they're looking like a totally different team now. One of the reasons may be that if you're coached by Huub Stevens, you know you're in a relegation fight because that's what he's good at. But Nagelsmann was a totally fresh start for the team and from day one he never gave the impression of being under any pressure whatsoever."
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