Borussia Dortmund will find it "brutally difficult" to prevent Bayern Munich winning an eighth straight Bundesliga title after defeat in the Klassiker, according to Lucien Favre.
Dortmund came into Tuesday's home showdown against the leaders just four points behind Bayern and having won their previous six Bundesliga matches.
However, they were undone by Joshua Kimmich's brilliant chipped goal from the edge of the penalty area shortly before half-time and Bayern held on to move seven points clear with six matches to play.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said before the game that the hosts needed to win if they were to have any chance of overhauling Bayern, and head coach Favre was deflated after the loss, despite taking some pride in his team's display.
"We made a very good start in the opening 30 minutes but we sat too deep after that," Favre explained at his press conference.
"The second half was good too. We had opportunities, but the penultimate or final ball was missing. We at least deserved to draw.
"We played better than we did against Wolfsburg and Schalke.
"It will be very difficult in the title race. Seven points behind with six games [left], that will be brutally difficult."
Dortmund midfielder Emre Can concurred with his manager's words, saying that Bayern will win the league again unless they have a major slip-up.
“We did not play a bad game, it was very open, but in the last quarter we lacked the consequence, the last pass did not arrive, so unfortunately we lost," Can told Sky.
"I think we had the mentality, we wanted to win 100 per cent.
“We have to be realistic [about the Bundesliga]. We have to look at ourselves and try to win the last few games. If nothing happens, Bayern will be champions."
Meanwhile, Favre's opposite number Hansi Flick recognised that his team's victory at Signal Iduna Park was a "big step" towards winning the title.
"It was an important win, we took a big step forward," Flick said.
"Will I win my first coaching title? I'm not a coach who reads too much into the future. It just feels good to be seven points ahead now."