Leeds United and Southampton clash for lucrative English Premier League return

LONDON – Leeds United and Southampton will slug it out for a lucrative place in the English Premier League when they meet in football’s single richest match at Wembley on May 26.

Promotion to the English top flight is worth an estimated £140 million (S$240 million) for the winners of the second-tier Championship’s play-off final.

No other game can offer such wealth, given the vast increases in matchday, broadcast and commercial revenue available to clubs that reach the Premier League.

Financial experts Deloitte said that the team promoted on May 26 could eventually bank £305 million if they avoid relegation in the 2024-25 season.

Leeds, who finished third in the Championship, would relish the opportunity after losing their grip on an automatic promotion place that went to Ipswich Town.

But they recovered to show their potential in a 4-0 demolition of Norwich City in the play-off semi-final second leg to progress 4-0 on aggregate.

Southampton, who beat Leeds twice during the season, also impressed with a place in the final on the line, defeating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 in their second leg after drawing the first leg 0-0.

Both clubs will be hoping to join Championship winners Leicester City and Ipswich in the Premier League but the past holds painful memories for Leeds, who have failed in five previous attempts to win promotion via the play-offs.

The three-time English champions have not won at Wembley since the 1992 Charity Shield against Liverpool, but they can take heart from the presence of their coach Daniel Farke, who guided Norwich to automatic promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and 2021.

“We know it’s a massive game. It’s a final, and for that you’re always more focused, but it’s also important to stay calm and find a good balance,” said the German.

“It’s a 50-50 game. But this also means it’s a great chance of promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.”

Promotion would be a Hollywood ending for Leeds, just weeks after movie star Will Ferrell became a shareholder in the club’s 49ers Enterprises ownership group. That star-studded consortium also includes actor Russell Crowe, Olympic great Michael Phelps and golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

In a plot twist, Farke has a contentious history with Saints boss Russell Martin, who played under him at Norwich before having his contract terminated by mutual consent in 2018.

Farke was complimentary about Martin on May 24, saying: “He was my captain at Norwich and always looked at things through a manager’s eyes.”

Martin, meanwhile, conceded the Carrow Road exit was a difficult time in his career.

“I really didn’t like his decision at the time,” he said. “But we never had a personal problem. I think people really wanted us to, and they still want us to now because it is a nice story.”

Despite his placatory attitude, winning promotion at Farke’s expense would clearly be a sweet moment for Martin, who urged his team to seize their chance.

“It is such a privilege to play in a game of this magnitude,” he added. “They have the chance to feel something spectacular that they will remember forever.” AFP