Patrik Schick was the hero of the hour on Saturday, netting a stunning hat-trick against his former club RB Leipzig and reaching a monumental 100 goals for Bayer Leverkusen. The Czech striker's three brilliant finishes lit up the pitch, but it's his first goal that's sparked a heated debate off it.

The controversy centers on how the move began. After a wayward shot from Leipzig's Nicolas Seiwald, a quick-thinking ball boy instantly tossed the ball back to Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Without missing a beat, Flekken launched a long ball forward, setting up a lightning-fast counterattack that ended with Schick finding the net. It was a moment of pure efficiency—but was it against the rules?

Here's where it gets interesting. According to Kicker, this would have been perfectly fine last season. However, in mid-August, the German Football League (DFL) sent a recommendation to all 36 clubs in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga suggesting a change: ball boys should no longer throw the ball directly to players but instead place it on a designated marking plate. The DFL's goal? To "promote the faster resumption of the game and combat the reduction of playing time."

Unsurprisingly, RB Leipzig wasn't thrilled. In post-match interviews, both sporting director Marcel Schäfer and coach Ole Werner voiced their displeasure. "There is now a clear rule not to make this difference in the stadiums," Werner told Sky, adding, "If we have the rule, we also need a clear implementation."

But here's the twist: Kicker notes that this isn't actually a mandatory rule. The DFL's guidance is just that—a recommendation—leaving individual clubs to decide how to handle it. So while Leipzig may feel aggrieved, the goal stands.

To his credit, Werner refused to use the incident as an excuse for the 4-1 defeat. "I'm not accusing anyone. In fact, I'm having a hard time talking about this one scene," the 37-year-old coach admitted. Leipzig's Christoph Baumgartner echoed that sentiment, saying, "This is not the decisive issue today. I don't want to be upset about this little thing. Otherwise, we'd be bad losers."

In the end, it's a reminder that in football, every second counts—and sometimes, a ball boy's quick thinking can change the game. Whether this sparks a broader conversation about the rules remains to be seen, but for now, Schick and Leverkusen are celebrating a well-earned victory.