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...
What started as a protest from the Italian coach over the packed game schedule has turned into a war of words between the two.
The spat stems from Ancelotti's dissatisfaction with the lack of recuperation time between matches. Following Real Madrid's tight victory over Villarreal before the international break, the veteran manager said that his club will no longer play with fewer than 72 hours of recuperation.
The comment was a blatant criticism of La Liga's scheduling, with Ancelotti offering a veiled ultimatum.
Javier Tebas, who frequently delves into Real Madrid-related issues, responded strongly, pointing out that Ancelotti's reluctance to rotate his squad or use his five available substitutions may be adding to his complaints with player tiredness.
Ancelotti fired back before Real Madrid's match against Leganes, saying that he was unaware of Tebas' desire to coach teams.
Tebas hits back at X.
He referred to a December 2020 interview Ancelotti did when at Everton, in which the Italian questioned the need for five changes.
"My personal opinion, three substitutions are enough to change the game," Ancelotti stated at the time, adding that if a player required rest, "you can leave him out at the start of the game."
Tebas also remembered Ancelotti's shifting approach since rejoining Real Madrid, citing his statement after a match against Valencia in September 2021, in which he remarked, "With the five substitutions, we have an advantage because we have a lot of quality."
Finally, Tebas cited another comment from August 2022, following a match against Espanyol, in which Ancelotti stated, "The five substitutions are good for us because we have fast, powerful players to exploit the spaces."
Tebas closed the post with 'the chemistry is fantastic' in a desperate attempt to portray the Real Madrid manager as a hypocrite.
It remains to be seen whether the Italian strategist would respond to Tebas' critical words or let the matter to rest.
It remains to be seen whether the Italian strategist would respond to Tebas' critical words or let the matter to rest.
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