HARRY KANE was given special dispensation to break a little-known Bundesliga rule.
But it spectacularly backfired in a cruel twist of fate.
Bayern Munich looked set to clinch the Bundesliga title on Saturday.
A win over RB Leipzig would have been enough and see Kane win the very first major trophy of his career.
The England captain, though, was suspended for accumulating too many yellow cards.
That meant he had to sit in the stands to watch the match and hope his team-mates could get the job done.
And Bundesliga legislation states that suspended players are not allowed on the pitch from 30 minutes before kick-off until 30 minutes after the full-time whistle.
However, according to Bild, league officials gave Kane permission to take to the field at the end of the game.
The idea being that he could join in the title celebrations with his team-mates.
But it did not go according to plan for Kane.
He watched on helpless as RB Leipzig took a 2-0 lead at half-time.
Ex-Premier League trio Eric Dier, Michael Olise and Leroy Sane turned it around in the second half, though, to put Bayern 3-2 ahead and on the cusp of the title.
So much so that Kane headed down to be pitchside for the full-time whistle when their status as champions would be confirmed.
But in the fourth minute of injury time, Yussuf Poulsen struck a dramatic equaliser for Leipzig.
And that left Bayern nine points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who have three games left and a 30-goal inferior goal difference.
So although it is all but a done deal, Bayern are technically not champions just yet, leaving Kane to wait a little longer.
Bayer take on Freiburg on Sunday and know failure to pick up all three points would officially hand Bayern the title.
Should Leverkusen do their part, Kane and Bayern know they can get over the line by avoiding defeat at home to Borussia Monchengladbach next Saturday.
Kane – who was denied a first trophy last season when Leverkusen stopped Bayern’s ten-year Bundesliga monopoly – has scored 24 league goals this term.
But it was his fifth yellow card of the campaign that ruled him out at Leipzig, getting booked for preventing Mainz from taking a quick free-kick.
The seething striker said: “First of all, it’s an insane decision. It’s never a yellow card.
“Unfortunately, sometimes people come to the Allianz Arena and try to make a name for themselves.
“That’s why I’m really disappointed that I got the yellow card, because of course I knew I already had four.
“And secondly, I think the rule is crazy anyway. Five yellow cards in 34 games means a suspension. That’s crazy.
“Crazy, crazy decision. It’s kind of my story that I’ll miss the Leipzig game. But no worries, I’ll celebrate more than anyone else.”
But those celebrations will just have to wait that little bit longer for Kane.
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