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...
Real Sociedad are still in danger of missing out on the Europa League knockout rounds after losing 3-1 to Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.
Imanol Alguacil chose his strongest lineup for the encounter in Rome, but La Real struggled from the start, falling down within the first five minutes. Taty Castellano sent the ball to former Real Madrid defender Mario Gila after a set piece, and the Spaniard blasted past Alex Remiro and into the goal.
Later in the first half, Javi Lopez received a second yellow card for a clumsy foul, making things even worse for La Real. To make matters worse, Lazio will score again in a row just moments later. First, Mattia Zaccagni scored after Gustav Isaksen set him up, and then Castellanos, who was on loan at Girona during the 2022-23 season, added to his first assist.
At that moment, Imanol and La Real were focused on limiting their damage. Brais Mendez, Mikel Oyarzabal, Martin Zubimendi, and Takefusa Kubo were all substituted before the second half began so that they might be fresh for the encounter against Getafe on Sunday. However, they did lose vital defender Nayef Aguerd, who appeared to have picked up a knock and needed to be substituted.
Impressively, that put an end to the rot as Lazio were unable to score again, and La Real even found the back of the net as replacement Ander Barrenetxea scored from close range after Jon Aramburu was denied from a tight angle.
The result means that Real Sociedad, who have now lost two games in a row following their defeat at Valencia last weekend, must win at home against PAOK next Thursday to ensure their spot in the Europa League play-off round.
Imanol Alguacil chose his strongest lineup for the encounter in Rome, but La Real struggled from the start, falling down within the first five minutes. Taty Castellano sent the ball to former Real Madrid defender Mario Gila after a set piece, and the Spaniard blasted past Alex Remiro and into the goal.
Later in the first half, Javi Lopez received a second yellow card for a clumsy foul, making things even worse for La Real. To make matters worse, Lazio will score again in a row just moments later. First, Mattia Zaccagni scored after Gustav Isaksen set him up, and then Castellanos, who was on loan at Girona during the 2022-23 season, added to his first assist.
At that moment, Imanol and La Real were focused on limiting their damage. Brais Mendez, Mikel Oyarzabal, Martin Zubimendi, and Takefusa Kubo were all substituted before the second half began so that they might be fresh for the encounter against Getafe on Sunday. However, they did lose vital defender Nayef Aguerd, who appeared to have picked up a knock and needed to be substituted.
Impressively, that put an end to the rot as Lazio were unable to score again, and La Real even found the back of the net as replacement Ander Barrenetxea scored from close range after Jon Aramburu was denied from a tight angle.
The result means that Real Sociedad, who have now lost two games in a row following their defeat at Valencia last weekend, must win at home against PAOK next Thursday to ensure their spot in the Europa League play-off round.
Comments
Post a Comment