The referee's whistle stayed down by his side, no longer anywhere near his mouth, reinforcing the idea that no foul had been called. He made a pushing motion with his palms, then sharply pointed toward the ball, signaling: Focus there, not on me.
Even Neil Lennon, who only moments earlier had been writhing on the ground as if in agony, suddenly leapt to his feet with a near-Deadpool-like recovery and flashed a confident thumbs-up.
The sight stunned the Barcelona players, silencing their complaints before they could even form.
All eyes snapped back to the referee, waiting for a whistle that never came. His lips remained sealed, the whistle dangling untouched at his side. With a firm gesture, his palms pressed outward in dismissal before his finger stabbed toward the rolling ball.
The message was unmistakable: 'Play, don't argue.'
Or… Goal!!!
BOOM.
