Overview
- The Premier League expects Friday media briefings to have started by 1:30pm, and City’s recent 2pm slots fell outside that window despite dispensations.
- Club staff warned that a third late start would likely result in a penalty for Guardiola or the club.
- Manchester City have paid about £3.17m in fines across the last two seasons for delayed kick-offs and restarts, including roughly £2.09m in 2023/24 and just over £1m last season.
- Guardiola said later training times made a 2pm news conference unworkable, so the club set Friday’s session for 9am to ensure compliance.
- He questioned consistency in timekeeping enforcement, joking that performers at the 2023 Champions League final caused delays without being fined.