Aston Villa have been handed a hefty punishment on the opening day of the Premier League season after being found guilty of misusing the league’s multiball system last term.
The club will pay a £125,000 fine and have also been banned from using the multiball system for their first three home fixtures of the new campaign. It is the fifth time Villa have fallen foul of this relatively new rule, taking their total bill for breaches to more than £300,000 since last season.
The multiball system was introduced in 2022 to keep games flowing, cut down on delays and improve the matchday experience for supporters. Each club is required to follow strict guidelines to ensure that no advantage can be gained by the home side. The Premier League insists that consistency is vital and Villa have now been punished for repeatedly ignoring those rules.
The final straw came during their last home match of the 2024-25 season against Tottenham Hotspur. Unai Emery’s men were chasing Champions League qualification and officials noted ball boys and girls were positioned to favour the Villa attack. Extra helpers and spare balls were placed behind the goal they were pressing while nothing similar was provided at the other end. Referee Peter Bankes raised the matter at half time with the designated multiball supervisor.
Villa went on to win that game 2-0 and ultimately finished sixth, but the Premier League later ruled that the club had again breached the system by instructing youngsters to provide balls directly to their players.
As part of their sanction, Villa must now play their first three home games of the 2025-26 season against Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Fulham under a single ball set up. That means when the ball goes out of play, it will be down to the players themselves to fetch it unless it is clearly out of reach, in which case the ball boys may step in.
A bizarre story to kick off the season and one that is sure to divide opinion among supporters across the country.
READ MORE FOOTBALL STORIES: