New Rule in Cup Victory
In Wiesbaden, Bayer Leverkusen experienced the new DFB rule live in the first league match of the season. Striker Patrik Schick was substituted in the 65th minute, but the substitution announcement took longer than ten seconds. Christian Kofane therefore had to wait more than a minute before he could enter the field, leaving Leverkusen in a numerical disadvantage for over 60 seconds before the team quickly scored the 3:0.
Reactions Within the Club
Sport director Simon Rolfes welcomed the strict application of the rule by the referees. “Players need to get used to moving faster, finding the correct outer line,” he said. He emphasized that the rule is meant to allow more football to be played. Head coach Carles Martínez, however, was less enthusiastic. “We need a good balance between intention and practice,” he explained from the sidelines.
Additional Rule Changes
The new rule is part of a series of changes that have been in effect since the start of the season. These include an eight‑second countdown for goalkeepers, a five‑second countdown for throw‑ins and kick‑offs, and a mandatory one‑minute pause for injured players before they can re‑enter after a stoppage. The VAR receives expanded powers, such as in advantage decisions and for clearly wrong second yellow cards. Player behaviour when leaving the pitch will also be evaluated differently.
