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...
Ahead of the match, Real Madrid TV released another of their infamous referee scrutiny videos, this time highlighting Sanchez Martinez's "errors" in Los Blancos encounters.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, who will be in charge of his first competitive El Clasico, was asked about it during his pre-match press conference, according to MD.
"I had no idea about the Real Madrid TV videos; it is not appropriate that this is done.
"The referees work really hard, and my duty is to prepare the players. I have extensive experience and have never had issues with referees. I told the team at the start of the season that the emphasis should be on performance, not referees. We can't be with these things; we have to focus on our performance and use all of our energy."
Real Madrid has been repeatedly chastised for filming these videos, and they are unlikely to stop anytime soon. Barcelona won't be too concerned as they seek a six-point lead over their fierce rivals.
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