Pep Guardiola, Khaldoon al Mubarak, Man City
Credit: Imago / Man City YouTube
Keith Hackett
Wed 25 June 2025 16:30, UK
Man City should have received harsher punishment from the Premier League after receiving a £1million fine for the 2024/25 season, according to Keith Hackett.
It was a difficult campaign for all involved at the Etihad Stadium, falling out of the Premier League title race, being knocked out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and also losing the FA Cup final.
Things have gone from bad to worse, however, with The Guardian reporting (19 June) that the Citizens have received a fine for delayed kick-offs and restarts relating to nine separate matches last term.
It is understood that the longest delay lasted two minutes and 24 seconds, with Hackett explaining that television broadcasters rely heavily on smoothness and accuracy of timings throughout the season.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola, Man City manager. (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Man City guilty of time-wasting yet again
Guardiola‘s side were also hit with a £2million fine last summer for the same reason, having breached the rules on 22 occasions, but Hackett believes a harsher punishment should have been given this time.
Man City, who are also in the headlines for ticket prices this summer, have accepted the charges and apologised, leaving them with 14 days to make the payment.
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A new rule is set to be implemented in the upcoming Premier League season, where goalkeepers will be punished for holding onto the ball for too long, and both Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez and Arsenal’s David Raya have been warned.
Howard Webb, PGMOL
PGMOL referees will be expected to punish time-wasting more next season. (Credit: Imago)
Keith Hackett explains Premier League sanction for Man City
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “One of the things… fans may see this as only being a minute or two. However, we have to understand that the Premier League is broadcast to 211 territories around the world, through about 45 television channels.
“In England, we have a panel to preview the game and build into the game, which allows a bit of flexibility. But around the world, what inevitably happens is, there’s a one-minute intro into the game.
“As a consequence, when the game kicks off at the beginning or half-time, it can cause a problem for overseas broadcasters. That’s why the Premier League take such a firm line.
Keith Hackett
Keith Hackett is disappointed by Man City’s reduced fine.
“In Europe, they have a countdown clock, but here we have an assistant who gives the referee a signal next to the fourth official. There has to be a great deal of accuracy. Any club which is a serial offender and have been fined on more than one occasion, then surely, there should be a growing table of increasing fines, not a decrease.
“Someone, somewhere, has decided that £2million is too harsh, and has fined them £1million instead. It sounds like a lot of money, because it is, but that’s how important it is to the broadcaster.”
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