Southampton charged by EFL over alleged spying on Middlesbrough

Southampton Football Club has been charged by the English Football League (EFL) with breaking rules. The charges relate to allegedly spying on Middlesbrough's training sessions before a recent match.

The EFL stated that Southampton is accused of two rule breaches. These include acting with "utmost good faith" towards other clubs and observing another club's training within 72 hours of a game. These rules are part of the EFL's regulations.

Southampton has 14 days to respond to the charges. However, the EFL wants to shorten this period and hold a hearing quickly due to the seriousness of the matter. The league will ask a special commission to decide on this.

The club has acknowledged the EFL's statement. Southampton has said it will cooperate fully with the league during the investigation. The club stated it cannot comment further while the process is ongoing.

The charge comes before the first leg of a semi-final match between Southampton and Middlesbrough. This match is scheduled for Saturday at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium. The return match is set for Tuesday at Southampton's St Mary's ground.

The rule against observing training sessions was introduced seven years ago. This followed an incident where Leeds United was fined £200,000 by the EFL. Leeds was found to have watched opponents train before games, which the EFL deemed a breach of the "good faith" rule.