German team prior to kick-off in Moscow Photo: picture-alliance

German shouts and celebrations punctuated the night in the frigid Moscow air. A close 1-0 victory had just seen Germany beat Russia in this crucial World Cup qualifier. While the German players exchanged high-fives, Russian heads drooped and the players withdrew into the bowels of the Luzhniki stadium to rue their missed opportunities.

Swiss referee Massimo Busacca denied the Russians a clear cut penalty in the dying minutes of a hard-fought match. In the 88 minute, substitute Arne Friedrich slid into a tackle, taking Bystrov down while the ball bobbled out of play. The referee, despite being only a few meters from the incident, failed to award the spot-kick for the Russians.

The 74,244 people in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium could not believe it. Millions following the Bundesliga throughout the country had to do a double-take. But for good measure they flashed it up on the big screens at Berlin’s home ground: Hertha BSC were top of the league. Following a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich, courtesy of a Liverpool-reject’s brace, they were league leaders.

Normally, watching Hertha BSC is enough to make root canal surgery seem an attractive proposition. For years they have played gauge-your-eyes-out football. Their stadium is always half empty, making for a poor atmosphere. And there’s a running track that puts you miles from the pitch – further putting your eyes at risk. Add to that a chilling wind in autumn and winter and you have an idea why it’s not people’s first choice place to be on a Saturday afternoon.