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...
Hiroki Ito joins the extensive Bayern Munich injured list after breaking his metatarsal again.
Hiroki Ito has fractured the metatarsal in his right foot again, putting him out of play for Bayern Munich for some time.Ito, 25, went down gripping his foot in the 89th minute of Bayern's 3-2 home triumph over St. Pauli on Matchday 27 after coming on just 30 minutes earlier.
The club has now revealed that it is a recurrence of the same injury that kept the Japanese defender from making his Bayern debut until February.
"He had just fought his way back after months of rehabilitation and is now out for an extended period of time." Max Eberl, board member for sports, remarked, "You can only imagine what's going through his mind."
Ito joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart last summer, but he broke his metatarsal during a preseason friendly. The left-footer, who can play full-back or central defense, has made only eight competitive appearances.
Ito joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart last summer, but he broke his metatarsal during a preseason friendly. The left-footer, who can play full-back or central defense, has made only eight competitive appearances.
He is also the latest in a string of defensive injuries for Vincent Kompany's team. Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano are both poised for lengthy layoffs after returning from the international break with injuries. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer recently had a setback in his recovery from a calf injury.
"With the injuries to Alphonso and Dayot, we've lost a third defender in a short period of time. We will now combine our efforts even more to continue achieving our objectives," Eberl stated.
Bayern's next game is a Bavarian derby away to Augsburg on Friday before facing Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, with Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund sandwiched between the two legs. With seven games remaining in the Bundesliga, the Bavarians lead Bayer Leverkusen by six points.
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