England’s 2-3 defeat to Spain at Wembley has ignited a firestorm of questions surrounding Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions and the impact of recent Premier League investigations.
Just days after Manchester City’s criminal financial scandal revelations, two glaring errors by City players – Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi – gifted Spain two crucial goals.
O’Reilly, on the edge of his own box, was tackled by Lamine Yamal, allowing the winger to drive towards the goal and slot in his side’s opener.
In the second half, Rodri’s late challenge on Jude Bellingham led to an England penalty, which Harry Kane struck against the crossbar after slipping.
O’Reilly’s pass, intercepted deep in his own half, resulted in an England penalty, which Kane struck against the crossbar.
The incident follows a series of errors by City players, including a penalty awarded to Barcelona in their 3-2 win on Saturday, adding to the growing sense of unease amongst the club’s managerial staff.
Former Manchester United captain Keane stated, “To see so many top-class players make so many mistakes – it has certainly affected them.” He also cautioned that the news of the verdict could have significantly impacted the players’ morale and performance.
‘There was a discussion, but at the end of the day when we’re with England we kind of put club football to one side and it was no different this week,’ Tuchel conceded, downplaying any links between the charges and player mistakes.
Man City, under the leadership of Khaldoon Al Mubarak, are confident of proving their innocence and the ‘Premier League process still has a long way to run.’
Rodri, who had also stressed his belief in the club’s innocence, emphasized his commitment to the investigation.
The charges encompass the managerial tenures of Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, and the first two years under Pep Guardiola, who left the club after 10 seasons at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
City won the Premier League and EFL Cup three times and the FA Cup once between 2009 and 2018.
The investigation, lasting four years, revealed a wide range of financial rules breaches, including claims they inflated sponsorship revenue and made other ‘off the books’ payments to circumvent financial rules.
Sanctions are yet to be announced, but repercussions could include a points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League, or a huge fine.
BBC Sport understands that Premier League clubs are seeking legal advice about potential compensation.
England captain Kane downplayed any links between the charges and player mistakes, telling ITV Sport after Saturday’s game: “There was a discussion, but at the end of the day when we’re with England we kind of put club football to one side and it was no different this week.”
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Source: BBC Football
