Middlesbrough boss Hellberg says ‘someone’ at Southampton ‘made a decision to try to cheat’ amid ‘spygate’ row | OneFootball

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg insists someone at Southampton “made a decision to try to cheat” ahead of their play-off semi-final first leg.

The two sides drew 0-0 in the first leg at the Riverside Stadium but the game was overshadowed by allegations that someone from Southampton had spied on Middlesbrough’s training session.

Southampton were charged by the EFL following “a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property”, the EFL said. The matter will now be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission, with Southampton insisting they will fully comply.

“It was a weird situation,” Boro boss Hellberg said after the first-leg draw.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears when I heard it. I couldn’t believe when they told me for the second time or the third, but then it was quite clear that they, and with they,

“I’m not putting anything on the players or supporters of Southampton, I think they are brilliant and had nothing to do with it, I sometimes feel sorry for them because they get this thrown in their face, but someone made a decision to go and try to cheat, that’s clear.

“It will be interesting to see what happens with that. I was trying to focus on the session as much as I could. I’ve seen some people talking about it not being a big advantage because you can see the games on film, but it is a massive advantage.

“It’s weird to say that, to be fair. But if you took that game today, we’d never used that shape that we used in the first half. That was impossible to know from whatever game you watch. Set-plays, goal kicks, it’s just unfair, and I think everyone would agree with that. We will see what happens.”

“It’s different things I feel,” he continued. “Anger, but also we have respect between each other. There’s respect between each other that they have totally failed in. And again, with they, I am talking about those who did it, not the club or anything like that.

“That makes me disappointed. I would never [do that]. It’s a big game, but you have to try to get an advantage in a fair way. Things can happen in the heat of the moment – let’s say it’s a dive that decides the game and tricks the referee, well at least that happens in the heat of the moment. This is something where they planned absolutely everything to try to come away with it.”