Aston Villa was sentenced to a fine of around 150,000 euros for breaking up, on five times, the rules of the “Multiball” system established by the Premier League, reports the Daily Mail. This system, in place since the 2022-2023 season, aims to streamline the game by allowing a fast rebate thanks to several balloons placed around the field. In a key match in the Champions League race against Tottenham last season, Unai Emery's team would have manipulated this device by placing more ball collectors behind the goal they attacked, which would have offered him an unfair advantage.
Consequently, the Premier League decided to ban Aston Villa from using the “Multiball” system during its first three home games of the 2025-2026 season, against Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Fulham. These meetings will therefore be played with a single ball system: when it comes out of the field, the players will have to recover it themselves, unless it is difficult to access, in which case a ball collector may intervene. In total, the club has already paid more than 350,000 euros in fines for similar offenses since 2024.
