Manchester City, the dominant force in English football for over a decade, finds itself once again under the Premier League's microscope. This time, however, the allegations are not about intricate financial dealings or sponsorship controversies, but something seemingly more mundane: breaches of kick-off timing regulations. Recent reports confirm that City has been hit with a substantial fine of £1.08 million for delaying kick-offs and re-starts on nine separate occasions during the 2024/25 season. While a million-pound fine might seem like a drop in the ocean for a club of City's financial might, these sanctions underscore a deeper tension within the Premier League – a battle between sporting integrity, commercial interests, and the relentless demands of a global broadcasting behemoth. This isn't merely a trivial matter of punctuality. It speaks to the meticulous choreography of modern football, where every second is accounted for, and every deviation from the schedule has...
After a brief hiatus, EURO 2024 resumes this weekend with four knockout matches, beginning with Italy and Switzerland facing off in Berlin.
Germany's injury-time equaliser guaranteed the Swiss finished second to their opponents in Group A, but they remain unbeaten in their past seven games, winning one and drawing two.Italy also finished second in their group, but needed a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia to get to the knockout stages.
Luciano Spalletti has made six changes since that game, with the excellent Riccardo Calafiori sidelined for being booked twice in three games.
Federico DiMarco is also missing due to injury, so Gianluca Mancini and Matteo Darmian take over in defence, while Nicolo Fagioli and Bryan Cristante replace Jorginho and Pellegrini in midfield.
Federico Chiesa and Stephan El Shaarawy are flanking Gianluca Scamacca.
Switzerland has kept things more simpler, with Silvan Widmer missing due to suspension and being replaced by Ruben Vargas.
Who do you believe is responsible?
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