In the 37th round of the Premier League, Bournemouth drew 1-1 with Manchester City at home on Tuesday evening. The Frenchman Eli Junior Kroupi opened the score in the 39th minute, and the Norwegian Erling Haaland equalized too late to be able to turn the score around (90+5). City really needed a win.
The manager of the hosts, Iraola, clearly won the duel with the Spaniard with Guardiola. Manchester City looked like a resigned team with no solutions. However, the fans of the “citizens” displayed in the stands, at the end, the banner: “Pep stay” (“Pep, stay”). Guardiola is rumored to be leaving City at the end of the season.
With one leg to play, the gap between leaders Arsenal London and Manchester City is 4 points (82, compared to 78). “The Gunners” still have to play with Crystal Palace, and City – with Aston Villa, but the situation of the first two places cannot change.
The draw makes the Londoners champions without having to play! It is Arsenal’s 14th league title and the first since the 2003/04 season.
On May 30, Arsenal, led by the Spaniard Miker Arteta (former second in command of Guardiola), can also win the Champions League, going to play the final with PSG in Budapest.
The “Spygate” scandal has taken its toll
Another important piece of news came from England today. Southampton were kicked out of the Championship play-off final due to the ‘Spygate’ scandal.
The Football League’s investigation led to the club being banned after it admitted spying on Middlesbrough’s closed-door training sessions. Middlesbrough have been reinstated for Saturday’s clash with Hull City.
The Championship play-off final, which will decide the team promoted to the Premier League next Saturday at Wembley, has been changed. Southampton have been banned following the English Football League’s (EFL) investigation into the ‘Spygate’ affair, which involved a Saints analyst caught spying on a Middlesbrough training session behind closed doors ahead of the semi-final first leg. Middlesbrough will face Hull City for a place in the Premier League.
The independent disciplinary panel, run by Sport Resolutions, met today and, in addition to their immediate play-off ban, slapped Southampton with a four-point penalty, which will carry into next season’s competition.
The club recognized “several breaches of EFL regulations relating to the unauthorized filming of other teams’ training sessions”, including matches against Oxford United in December 2025 and Ipswich Town in April 2026. Southampton can appeal until tomorrow.
