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...
Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid both made comebacks as the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg ended 4-4.
Atleti took an early lead with a goal from Julian Álvarez at the far post after only one minute of play.Five minutes later, Antoine Griezmann scored from inside the box, beating Wojciech Szczęsny with a right-footed shot.
But Barcelona refused to give up, and Pedri scored from 12 yards out following some excellent build-up play from Lamine Yamal and Jules Koundé.
The Blaugrana quickly equalized after Pau Cubarsí scored his first goal for the club from a corner kick at the far post.
Before the half-time whistle, Barça's comeback was seemingly complete at 4-2, as Iñigo Martínez scored from a corner beyond Juan Musso.
During the second half, Atleti thought they had equalized through Alexander Sørloth, but his attempt was ruled out for offside.
Barça struck again through talisman Robert Lewandowski, who scored from close range following some excellent work on the wing by Lamine Yamal.
The game was far from over, however, and Marcos Llorente made it 4-3 with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Comments
Post a Comment