Middlesbrough insist Southampton should be removed from Championship play-offs over spying incident

Southampton faced charges from the EFL last week following an incident where Middlesbrough spotted an uninvited individual recording their training session just before the play-off semi-final opener.

Middlesbrough managed a 0-0 stalemate at their home ground on Saturday but fell 2-1 after additional time in the return fixture at Southampton on Tuesday.

Southampton are set to face Hull, victors over Millwall in the alternative semi-final, in the play-off final, where the prize is a valuable spot in the Premier League for the victors at Wembley.

Outraged Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg labelled Southampton as "cheats" amid the escalating controversy surrounding the spying allegations.

Leeds received a fine when their then-manager Marcelo Bielsa confessed that a team member had observed a Derby training session in 2019.

Nevertheless, Middlesbrough are pushing for a much harsher penalty against Southampton, especially after their bid to join the independent commission investigating the supposed spying was rejected.

As a result, Middlesbrough urged the EFL on Friday to exclude Southampton to uphold equity and discourage other teams from similar actions moving forward.

"The club is disappointed by that decision, especially since we are directly impacted by the issues being examined and possess key evidence regarding the occurrences and their effects on the competition," a club statement declared.

"The behaviour in question, involving the watching and filming of our training ahead of such an important match, strikes at the core of sportsmanship and equitable play.

"Under these conditions, the sole fitting measure is a penalty that bars Southampton FC from taking part in the EFL Championship play-off final."

The final match is scheduled for May 23, though the EFL hearing might not occur until Tuesday, casting uncertainty on the timetable.

With so much at stake, it appears likely that an appeal from at least one involved party will follow.

That said, the EFL affirmed it "is proceeding with preparations assuming the Championship play-off final will proceed as planned".

The organisation also noted it has "several backup options available if needed".