Ball boy debate after Leverkusen opener as Patrik Schick hits hat-trick | OneFootball

Patrik Schick hit a hat-trick against his former club RB Leipzig, but his opener prompted scrutiny of ball-boy involvement, with Kicker examining the restart.

Schick was honoured by Bayer Leverkusen fans before kick-off for reaching 100 club goals. His first came after Nicolas Seiwald shot wide, a ball boy immediately feeding Mark Flekken, whose quick long pass set Nathan Tella and Ibrahima Maza away before the finish.

Last season it would have raised no issue, the report noted. In mid-August the DFL advised clubs that ball kids should place balls on a marked plate rather than throw them, and implementation rests with the clubs rather than being mandatory.

RB Leipzig voices, including Marcel Schäfer and Ole Werner, expressed disapproval afterwards. "There is now a clear rule not to make this difference in the stadiums. If we have the rule, we also need a clear implementation." he told Sky.

The report also underlined that the DFL’s guidance is only a recommendation and that clubs decide how to apply it. Werner said he would not use the incident to excuse the 4-1 result, while Christoph Baumgartner felt it was not decisive.

For Leverkusen, Maza admitted he was unaware of the DFL advice but welcomed it, noting they had seen similar in other leagues. Kasper Hjulmand said there had been no specific instructions for ball boys and credited goalkeeper Mark Flekken’s long passing for the move.

Source: BuLi News