Manchester City has been dealt a substantial blow, having to fork over fines for breaching Premier League rules no less than nine times in the last campaign.
Pep Guardiola's side is facing up to sanctions that total $1.45 million (£1.08 million) for not sticking to rule L.33—a hefty sum on top of last off-season's $2.81 million (£2.09m) fine. It comes after it was revealed Jeremy Doku was advised to join Liverpool.
The Cityzens have once again held their hands up and issued an apology for these infractions, confirming they have given players and staff a refresher on their obligations regarding match kick-off and re-start times for the second summer running.
Rule L. 33 essentially states: "Any Club which, without good reason, causes to be delayed either the kick-off of a League Match from the time fixed or the re-start after the half-time interval shall be dealt with."
The Premier League, in a statement, recognises the importance of these regulations, as "rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule."
As a result, the league and Manchester City have agreed upon the specific sanctions, noting "the breaches occurred in nine Premier League matches during the 2024/25 season".
In total, City's tardiness to kick-offs and re-starts added up to 18 minutes and 53 seconds. Here's a detailed account of the delays over those nine particular fixtures:.
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A $54,000 fine for the 2-minute 10-second delay of a re-start during the 1-0 win at home to Southampton on 26 October.
A $80,000 fine for the 1-minute 38-second delay to the kick-off of the 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 23 November.
A $107,000 fine for the 1-minute 59-second delay of a re-start during the 3-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on 4 December.
A $135,000 fine for the 1-minute and 29-second delay of a re-start during the 2-2 draw away to Crystal Palace on 7 December.
A $168,000 fine for the 1-minute 18-second delay to kick-off and 2-minute 24-second delay of a re-start during the 2-1 loss at home to Manchester United on 15 December.
Another $168,000 the for the 2-minute 9-second delay of a re-start during the 2-1 loss away to Aston Villa on 21 December.
A $200,000 fine for the 2-minute 22-second delay of a re-start during the 4-1 win at home to West Ham United on 4 January.
A $282,000 fine for the 2-minute 22-second delay of a re-start during the 6-0 win away to Ipswich Town on 19 January.
A $252,000 fine for the 1-minute 42-second delay of a re-start during the 4-0 win at home to Newcastle United on 15 February