Could Southampton face points deduction for Middlesbrough spying incident? | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at the punishments Southampton could face for spying on a Middlesbrough training session

Middlesbrough are set to host Southampton for the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final clash on Saturday, but the build-up to the game has been overshadowed by a spying incident.

The Saints and Boro both won 80 points in the second tier this term, but Tonda Eckert's men finished fourth, one place above Kim Hellberg's side, thanks to their superior goal difference.

Consequently, the South Coast club will host the North East outfit for the second leg of their semi-final on Tuesday.

The winner of the other play-off semi-final tie between Hull City and Millwall will await either Southampton or Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium on 23 May.

EFL punishments could await Southampton following Middlesbrough spying incident

The Saints and Boro are familiar foes, having met each other twice during the regular Championship season, but they know that more is on the line in the play-offs.

The last time Eckert's men locked horns with Hellberg's side, Middlesbrough ran out as 4-0 winners back in January, thanks to Morgan Whittaker's brace and goals from Samuel Silvera and Alan Browne.

In their first meeting of the season, the Saints and Boro played out a 1-1 draw at St Mary's Stadium, with Kaly Sene's equaliser cancelling out Adam Armstrong's opener.

A lot has changed since last September, though, as Armstrong joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in the winter transfer window, while both clubs have different managers.

Meanwhile, as per Teesside Live, despite the familiarity between the two sides, Boro have reported the Saints to the EFL for alleged unauthorised filming of the North East side's training session.

Teesside Live's report adds that the EFL's handbook outlines punishments such as points deductions, fines and transfer embargoes, while the Disciplinary Commission can also order any sanction they deem fit.

A similar incident occurred in 2019, when Leeds United, then of the Championship, filmed a Derby County training session.

The Whites were fined £200,000, and the EFL subsequently introduced a rule forbidding watching or filming opposition training up to 72 hours before a game.

Southampton points deduction could be complicated process if Saints win promotion

The spying allegations levelled at Southampton will make their play-off semi-final clashes with Middlesbrough even more tense affairs, while a shot at winning promotion to the Premier League at Wembley has always been on the line.

Meanwhile, the fact that Leeds were fined £200k for a similar offence seven years ago suggests that the Saints will be handed a similar punishment if they are found guilty of spying on Boro's training session.

However, if Southampton are handed a points deduction by the EFL, that could be a particularly complicated process if they win promotion to the top flight, as the Premier League is a different entity to the Championship, League One, and League Two's governing body.

Furthermore, the Saints have a strong chance of winning promotion, as they enjoyed a 20-game unbeaten run across all competitions before they lost to Manchester City in last month's FA Cup semi-final.

In contrast, Middlesbrough previously appeared set to win automatic promotion alongside Championship title winners Coventry City, but poor form in recent weeks has seen them slip to fifth.