Southampton are off to Wembley, but the backlash is still hanging over them
On the pitch, Southampton got the job done. The club booked its place in the Championship play-off final after beating Middlesbrough in a tense second leg that went right down to the wire.
But with Wembley and a Premier League return now in sight, the Saints cannot get away from the story that has followed them for days.
On Tuesday night, Southampton finally made the breakthrough in extra time. Shea Charles settled it four minutes from the end with a left-footed strike that hit the post before going in.
The 2-1 win sends the club through to face Hull City in the play-off final on 23 May.
An inquiry lands at the worst possible time
The issue is that Southampton are also waiting on a disciplinary commission after the allegations made by Middlesbrough.
The north-east club claim a member of the opposition staff was spotted watching a training session before the first leg of the semi-final.
Since then, the story has blown up across England. The EFL is now investigating Southampton’s conduct and whether any rules on proper club behaviour were broken.
For now, no punishment has been announced and Southampton remain on course for Wembley.
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The Bielsa saga is back in the spotlight
Naturally, this has brought back memories of one of the Championship’s most notorious controversies from a few years ago.
In 2019, Leeds United were at the centre of a huge row after a suspicious figure linked to the club was seen near Derby County’s training ground before a match.
Marcelo Bielsa later admitted he had sent someone to watch Leeds’ opponents train throughout the season.
The EFL eventually hit the club with a heavy fine, saying Leeds had not acted with the level of good faith expected in that kind of situation.
Since the probe into Southampton began, the case has been all over the English media.
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