Leeds and Southampton duel for lucrative return to the Premier League

Leeds and Southampton will battle for a lucrative Premier League place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday when they meet in the most lucrative game in football history.

Promotion to the English top division is worth an estimated £140 million ($178 million) to the winner of the Championship play-off final.

Given the huge increases in matchday, broadcast and advertising revenues for clubs promoted to the Premier League, no other sport can offer such riches.

Financial experts at Deloitte say the team promoted this weekend could ultimately pocket £305m if they avoid relegation next season.

While the prize money is a huge bonus, it is the prestige of competing with Manchester City and Arsenal rather than second-tier outsiders like Plymouth and Oxford that is driving the two teams to desperately try to regain their Premier League status after a year away from home.

Relegation from the top division can be devastating, but Leeds and Southampton have handled their relegation so skillfully that they are only one win away from returning to the promised land.

Leeds were to be pitied as they finished third in the Championship, three points ahead of fourth-placed Southampton, after losing their direct promotion spot to Ipswich.

Leeds recovered and showed their potential by beating Norwich 4-0 in the second leg of their play-off semi-final.

Southampton, who beat Leeds twice in the regular season, also impressed and reached the final after beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 in the second leg.

Both clubs believe that the Premier League is a more suitable environment for their large fan base and long history in the top division.

But the past also holds painful memories for Leeds: the club failed five times in its attempt to advance via the play-offs.

The three-time English champions have not won at Wembley since the 1992 Charity Shield against Liverpool and are playing there for the first time in 17 years.

The presence of head coach Daniel Farke, who led Norwich to automatic promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and 2021, can give them encouragement.

– “I didn’t like his decision” –

“We know it's an important game. It's a final and that's why you're always more focused, but it's also important to stay calm and find a good balance,” said Farke.

“The odds are 50-50. But that also means we have a great chance of getting back into the Premier League at the first attempt. We're really excited about that.”

Promotion would have been a Hollywood ending for Leeds, just weeks after film star Will Ferrell became a shareholder in the club's ownership group 49ers Enterprises.

This star-studded consortium also includes actor Russell Crowe, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

In an unexpected plot twist, Farke has a contentious past with Southampton boss Russell Martin, having played under the German at Norwich before his contract was terminated by mutual consent in 2018.

Farke praised Martin on Friday, saying: “He was my captain at Norwich and always saw things through the eyes of a manager.”

But Martin, who captained Norwich to their Championship play-off final against Middlesbrough in 2015, admitted that leaving Carrow Road was a difficult time in his career.

“I really didn't like his decision at the time. I can't sit here and pretend that's the case,” he said.

“We never had a personal problem. I think people really wanted it and still want it today because it's a nice story.”

Despite his placating attitude, promotion at Farke's expense would clearly be a nice moment for Martin, who urged his team to seize the opportunity.

“It is a great privilege to play in a game of this magnitude,” he said.

“You have the chance to experience something spectacular that you will remember forever.”

smg/nf