🚨 Official: Southampton banned from the play-offs for spying | OneFootball

The Saints have been found guilty.

After securing their place in the Championship play-off final for promotion to the Premier League (a 2-1 aggregate win), Southampton were officially removed from the showpiece match by an independent EFL disciplinary commission.

The English club admitted to carrying out spying operations and unauthorized video recordings during their opponents’ training sessions (Middlesbrough in May, as well as Ipswich Town in April and Oxford United in December).

In addition to this immediate expulsion, Southampton have been handed a four-point deduction for next season.

This historic bombshell has produced one very happy outcome: Middlesbrough. Knocked out by the Saints last week, the Teesside club have been miraculously reinstated and will play in the grand final at Wembley this Saturday, May 23, against Hull City, with the Premier League promotion jackpot at stake.

On its X account, Middlesbrough was quick to congratulate the EFL for this bold decision, praising its zero-tolerance stance on cheating. Southampton are expected to appeal.

An English-style "Spygate" that has brutally shattered the Saints’ top-flight dreams.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

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