Scandal! David Strelec's Club Falls Victim to Espionage, Disciplinary Action Taken Against Southampton

EFL rules prohibit clubs from observing, or attempting to observe, an opponent's training within 72 hours of a match. According to BBC reports, a Southampton analyst filmed Middlesbrough's Thursday training session and photographed the opponent's tactical setups. The first leg of the play-off was scheduled for Saturday, May 9th, with the return leg on Tuesday, May 12th.

An independent disciplinary commission will decide Southampton's punishment. The club has stated it is fully cooperating with the EFL's investigation into the matter. In 2019, Leeds United was fined £200,000 for a similar offense. Slovakian forward David Strelec is part of the Middlesbrough squad vying for promotion to the Premier League.