EFL says Leicester will not face points deduction over PSR charge this season
Leicester will definitely not face a points deduction in this season’s Championship over the Premier League charge they face for allegedly breaching top-flight financial rules, the EFL has confirmed.
The EFL said its rules as currently written do not give it the power to apply any points penalty that may be ordered by an independent commission formed under Premier League auspices.
Leicester, who are involved in a three-way automatic promotion battle with Leeds and Ipswich, had sought an interim injunction to prevent any sporting sanction such as a points deduction being applied this season, but that application has been dismissed after the EFL’s confirmation it had no power to apply the penalty in any event.
A legal decision related to the injunction application published on Friday evening shows the Premier League initially sought an expedited process, and that its lawyers wrote to the chair of its independent judicial panel to say it was imperative the whole case – including any appeal – was concluded before the end of the Championship regular season on May 4.
The Premier League letter to its judicial panel came after a letter from EFL chief executive Trevor Birch to his Premier League counterpart Richard Masters, prior to the charge being issued, saying the EFL would “seek to respect” any decision ordering a points penalty and apply it to the Championship standings.
According to the written decision, in the same letter Birch urged the Premier League that, in the event it sought a points deduction in the current season, it should do so urgently to ensure it could be applied before the end of the Championship regular season on May 4.
The legal decision states that the Premier League wrote to the club’s lawyers on March 26 to say it would no longer seek to expedite the proceedings, because the EFL no longer maintained its position that it would seek to apply any points deduction in the Championship.
That means the case is extremely unlikely to be concluded until next season, and that any points penalty will only apply immediately if, by the point the hearing concludes, Leicester are a Premier League club again.
The decision reveals that Leicester had accused the EFL of “conspiring with the Premier League to use unlawful means and to procure or induce a breach of contract by the Premier League”.
The club are understood to remain extremely disappointed with the way they feel the EFL has acted.
The Foxes were charged with breaching the top flight’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) on March 21 in relation to the assessment period ending with the 2022-23 season, when they were still a Premier League club.
The club issued “urgent legal proceedings” on March 22 against that charge, and against an EFL transfer embargo.
Earlier this month, Leicester announced a loss of £89.7million for the 2022-23 season.
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Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti offers Rodrygo injury update ahead of Man City second leg
Rodrygo scored in Real Madrid's dramatic 3-3 draw with Man City
Brazil forward missed training after the game through injury
Madrid travel to City for the return leg of the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday
By Tom Gott
Apr 12, 2024
Rodrygo has been out injured
Rodrygo has been out injured / BSR Agency/GettyImages
Carlo Ancelotti does not expect to be without Rodrygo for too long after the Real Madrid forward missed training through injury.
Rodrygo scored and impressed in Madrid's 3-3 draw with Manchester City but missed training on Friday after picking up a knock, leaving fans sweating over his availability for the Champions League quarter-final return leg on Wednesday.
Asked for an update on Rodrygo, Ancelotti confirmed the 23-year-old may even be available for the weekend's clash with Mallorca.
"Rodrygo suffered a knock yesterday, but will be available [against Mallorca], like the entire squad," Ancelotti revealed. "The priority is tomorrow, not Manchester. This week we have a lot at stake, but like all teams. We maintain the confidence of a few days ago and, I repeat, tomorrow is vital."
Eder Militao
Militao could make his first start of the season / Denis Doyle/GettyImages
Ancelotti went on to admit there could be a first start of the season for centre-back Eder Militao, eight months and one day after he tore his ACL.
"I repeat what I said: they are all available and tomorrow I will put in the best team," Ancelotti vowed. "Militao is also available."
Asked whether a start against Mallorca or City could be too much of a rush for Militao, Ancelotti continued: "It's a thought that we have in our heads and we have to think about, of course, but Eder has worked hard and is physically fine.
"If I see a healthy player, I don't think about the minutes he has spent or the time he has accumulated in training. I played [Sami] Khedira, who was coming off an injury, in a Champions League final and I did it because I saw he was healthy at that moment.
"Obviously, [Militao] can't play 90 minutes, that's complicated, but he can last a good part of the game."
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FC Barcelona
Barcelona predicted lineup vs Cadiz - La Liga
Barca return to La Liga action with trip to Cadiz on Saturday night
Catalan giants earned huge victory at PSG in the Champions League in midweek
Xavi is without the suspended Robert Lewandowski this weekend
By Jude Summerfield
Apr 12, 2024
The mixed vibe continues to linger at Barcelona ahead of another tumultuous summer, but there were smiles for Xavi and his squad in midweek after their victory at Paris Saint-Germain.
The Catalan giants took a large step towards reaching the final four of the Champions League with a dramatic 3-2 success at Parc des Princes. They're not mathematically out of the La Liga title race, but with an eight-point deficit to leaders Real Madrid, no slip-ups can be afforded during the run-in.
Next up for Barca is a clash with Cadiz on Saturday night. Here's the starting XI Xavi could deploy for the trip to Andalusia.
Barcelona predicted lineup vs Cadiz (4-3-3)
Lamine Yamal
Yamal could get another chance to impress / Pedro Salado/GettyImages
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - Didn't look at his most athletic against PSG but could do little about either goal and was upstaged significantly for dodgy goalkeeping antics by opposite number Gianluigi Donnarumma.
RB: Jules Kounde - Put in one of his best performances of the campaign on Wednesday night, keeping compatriot Kylian Mbappe subdued for the whole contest.
CB: Andreas Christensen - While Ronald Araujo was also impressive, Christensen came off the bench to score the winner but is also suspended for the return leg after being booked. He could slide back into central defence as a result.
CB: Marcos Alonso - With Xavi potentially also keen to protect 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, natural left-back Alonso may be shuffled into the middle, a role he has filled sporadically for Barca in the past.
LB: Hector Fort - Inigo Martinez and Joao Cancelo are both suspended which hinders Xavi's options in defence. 17-year-old Fort could benefit with his third La Liga start of the season.
CM: Fermin Lopez - Ilkay Gundogan is set to be handed a much-needed rest, having featured in all 44 club games since the start of 2023/24. Lopez has scored six goals in all competitions during his first season with the Barca first team.
CM: Sergi Roberto - Club stalwart Roberto is now suspended for the second PSG game, meaning his legs will be needed in midfield against Cadiz.
CM: Frenkie de Jong - Xavi will want to ensure both De Jong and Pedri get through the weekend without any fitness scares, but with Gavi also sidelined, one of them will likely need to start on Saturday.
RW: Lamine Yamal - After becoming the youngest player to score twice in a La Liga match in February, the 16-year-old became the youngest star to appear in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
ST: Ferran Torres - With Robert Lewandowski also on the naughty step for picking up five yellow cards, Torres has the chance to add to his seven league goals so far this season.
LW: Joao Felix - Squandered a few counter-attacks against PSG with some overly performative manoeuvres but has returned goal contributions in his last two league games.
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