- Southampton have been formally charged by the EFL with alleged spying on Middlesbrough's training session ahead of their Championship play-off semi-final.
- The incident reportedly involved a Southampton performance analyst being caught hiding behind a tree at Middlesbrough's Rockliffe Park training base and ordered to delete footage.
- This allegation puts Southampton's place in the Championship play-off final, which they reached by beating Middlesbrough on Tuesday, at risk, with a tribunal decision expected imminently.
- The situation echoes the 2019 “Spygate” incident where Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United were fined £200,000 for observing Derby County's training, leading to a new EFL rule prohibiting such actions within 72 hours of a match.
- According to The Times, a “sporting sanction”, such as exclusion from the final, is more likely for Southampton than a financial penalty, potentially allowing Middlesbrough to take their place in the 23 May Wembley final against Hull City.
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