Southampton remain confident their expulsion from the Championship play-off final will be overturned when their appeal is heard on Wednesday.
The Saints were rocked by a controversial ruling after an independent commission removed them from the play-off final following what the EFL described as “multiple breaches” linked to the unauthorized filming of opposition training sessions before matches.
As it currently stands, Middlesbrough, the club that initially reported Southampton, have been reinstated and are set to face Hull City at Wembley for a place in the Premier League.
However, uncertainty still surrounds the fixture after the EFL admitted the appeal outcome “could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture”.
According to Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam, Southampton officials are stunned by the severity of the punishment and firmly believe the sanction is excessive.
“Southampton believe they will be successful upon appeal; however, there is a long day ahead,” McAdam said.
“There is a confidence inside the club that this will be overturned.
“Over the course of the last 24 hours, Southampton’s lawyers have been working throughout the course of the night to make sure they are fully prepared for the appeal.
“They will fight this robustly until the bitter end. You have to remember Southampton are appealing the punishment and not the crime in this situation.
“Southampton are appealing to an independent league arbitration panel. That is made up of three different members to those on the independent disciplinary commission which decided their initial sanction.
“Some might say this is a more senior panel at the meeting today to discuss what happened yesterday and Southampton’s appeal.”
The outcome of Wednesday’s hearing could now determine who eventually walks out at Wembley for one of the biggest matches of the English football season.
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