Middlesbrough and Hull City both chase a Premier League return at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, after a chaotic week that removed Southampton from the Sky Bet Championship play-off final and unexpectedly restored Kim Hellberg’s side to the showpiece against Sergej Jakirovic’s team.
Southampton initially beat Middlesbrough 1-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals, but the English Football League expelled the Saints on Tuesday for spying. The EFL also issued a four-point deduction for next season, and an appeal from Southampton was rejected on Wednesday, reopening the path for Middlesbrough.
Hellberg described the emotional strain around the Championship play-off final, outlining how the squad moved from defeat to sudden opportunity while trying to stay
focused. "It's been a crazy time, back and forth with a lot of emotions, from losing the game, to being involved and trying to keep your head in the game for what may happen. I'm very happy to be here," he said.
The Middlesbrough head coach said the controversy, widely labelled "spy-gate", shaped the build-up to the Championship play-off final, yet insisted that any disciplinary outcome sat outside personal control. Hellberg stressed that Middlesbrough’s aim remains a first Premier League appearance since the 2016-17 season, which adds weight to a fixture already under intense public focus.
Hellberg explained that comments made earlier in the saga were about personal feelings rather than penalties. "The punishment is not for me to decide, and I was never talking about punishment when I talked about it, either. I talked about my emotions. Since I arrived here, I've tried to be honest, tried to be open, not using 'no comment' or being like that. I've tried to be open with my emotions, and it was never about anything other than that. I had nothing to do with the decision or punishment or what is right or wrong. I just talked about my emotions through the situation. "
Reflecting on the wider effect around the Championship play-off final, Hellberg added that other sides and fanbases have also been dragged into the situation. "It's been weird for a lot of different teams and supporters. It's not fair to them, but it also comes from the decision they have made. "
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Championship play-off final stakes for Hull City
Hull City enter the Championship play-off final aiming for a first Premier League campaign in nine years. The club previously won both Championship play-off finals contested, overcoming Bristol City in 2008 and Sheffield Wednesday in 2016, and now target another successful promotion push from sixth position in the table.
If Hull win the Championship play-off final, the team will become the first side finishing sixth to gain promotion since Blackpool in the 2009-10 season. Hull also possess a strong record at Wembley Stadium, with three victories in four outings, although Arsenal denied another trophy in the 2014 FA Cup final defeat.
Championship play-off final preparation for Jakirovic and Hull
Jakirovic admitted that tactical planning for the Championship play-off final was disrupted by the late change in rivals. "For sure, it's a relief because, since Tuesday evening, we knew who we were playing against," Jakirovic said. Hull had focused for at least a week on Southampton after the semi-final result.
Once the ruling arrived on Tuesday, Jakirovic and staff shifted analysis toward Middlesbrough ahead of the Championship play-off final. "We prepared for at least seven days for Southampton because they won in the semi-finals, and then, from Tuesday evening, we started to prepare for this game against Middlesbrough. Maybe it's a little bit short, but we already faced Southampton twice and Middlesbrough, so we know everything about them, and they know everything about us, so we will see on Saturday. "
Jakirovic remained upbeat about Hull’s readiness for the Championship play-off final despite compressed planning time. "I'm optimistic because we had a few very good sessions. I can say it like this, our main focus when we reached the finals was this game. No matter who our opponent was, our focus and concentration is on our team, what we can do there, how we can use our advantages. "
Both clubs therefore reach the Championship play-off final with disrupted journeys but clear objectives, as Middlesbrough look for a Premier League return after nine years away and Hull chase another successful Wembley appearance, in a match shaped by off-field decisions yet ultimately decided on the pitch.
