Manchester City has once again been penalized by the Premier League office for repeated match delays.
The British 'BBC' reported on the 20th (Korea time) that "Man City was fined a total of £1.08 million (approximately 1.99 billion won) by the Premier League for repeatedly delaying the start and resumption times of matches last season." City has accepted this penalty and officially apologized, and the amount must be paid within 14 days.
The delays in question occurred in nine matches. Notably, in the Manchester derby held in December 2024, the second half started a whopping 2 minutes and 24 seconds later than scheduled, drawing significant attention. The league office explained the background of the penalty, stating, "Kickoff and resumption regulation are core norms to maintain the organizational integrity of the league and to ensure predictability for fans and broadcasters."
In fact, this case is part of a repeated precedent. Manchester City had previously been fined £2.09 million (approximately 3.86 billion won) for causing delays in 22 matches during the 2023-2024 season. At that time, manager Pep Guardiola promised, "We will reduce team meetings in the first half," but similar issues continued into the following season.
The Premier League emphasized, "Broadcasters spend huge amounts to purchase broadcasting rights, which includes the expected match end times. Excluding variables like unforeseen injuries, the start of the match and the end of halftime are manageable factors."
Last season, Manchester City experienced a trophyless season, necessitating significant changes and adjustments internally. Guardiola, who needed more time to align the squad and tactics, tended to hold longer team meetings, which likely led to the repeated delays in returning to the pitch. The club stated, "We are making efforts with a willingness to improve and will do our best to minimize related issues in the future."
In fact, the instances of match delays decreased by 59% in the 2024-2025 season compared to the previous season. This indicates a clear willingness for change. However, the occurrence of the 'first violation' at the Southampton match in October leaves little room for excuses. At that time, Manchester City was leading in the first half, and despite having no substitutions during halftime, the team returned to the pitch 2 minutes and 10 seconds late.
Some interpret that "Guardiola and the coaching staff were so engrossed in tactical instructions and message delivery that they lost track of time." However, there are also criticisms that this reflects a sort of carelessness of "not being mindful of the clock."
Meanwhile, Manchester City is still awaiting a ruling on 115 charges of financial regulation violations in the Premier League. This matter pertains to the financial operations of the club from 2009 to 2018, which the league office referred to an independent Commissioner in February 2023. Manchester City has denied all allegations, claiming, "We have irrefutable evidence."
Delays of just over two minutes may appear trivial on the surface. However, this issue is directly related to the standards and principles of league operations, as well as the trust of fans and broadcasters.
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