Raúl + Ballack?
The Bundesliga refereeing crew in the 2015/16 season was one of the professions most criticized by fans.
They were utterly unpredictable. After regular time ended in the first half of Bundesliga matches, they often gave no stoppage time at all.
Even the actuaries at betting agencies found it a headache: referees were the least rigorous people in Germany.
FIFA had also sent letters multiple times, stating that the Bundesliga's habit of not adding stoppage time killed many exciting moments and harmed the healthy development of the league.
It was useless.
The Bundesliga refereeing crew still did whatever they pleased.
Borussia-Park.
The LED clock suspended overhead reached 45:00.
Referee Deniz felt the slight vibration of his watch and raised the whistle to his lips.
But he did not stop the match.
The assistant referee on the sideline hesitated for a moment before raising the LED board high: 1 minute.
The ball dropped near the center circle.
Xhaka had an excellent ability to predict the ball's path.
Using his positional advantage,
he rushed to the landing spot first, controlled the ball with his chest, and planted his right foot on it.
Watching Bayer Leverkusen's number 10 charge toward him,
he knew there was no time to pass.
He was already instinctively imagining a flashy, elegant turn-and-cut move.
"What a shame, Papadopoulos didn't hit that long pass well."
"They've wasted a counterattacking chance."
"Huh?"
Before Duan Xuan could finish speaking,
cheers erupted from Borussia-Park!
Xhaka cut the ball with his left foot.
As he turned!
He flicked it again with his right!
Flicked it?
Where was the ball?
It was already at Leo Kang's feet!
Xhaka had no time to be confused. He immediately stretched out a foot to win it back.
The next moment,
he felt a terrifying force