The Most Valuable Match in the World
The English Championship Playoff Final is regarded as the biggest match financially in world football. The winner of the match achieves promotion to the Premier League and with that comes a slice of the huge television revenues from big companies such as Sky Sports and BT Sport.
Unlike the playoff semi-finals, there are no second chances in the final, this is a one-off occasion and the match will go to penalties if required, to decide the winner. With up to a potential £170 million on offer to the winning team, losing is not an option.
The pressure on the players at Wembley cannot be underestimated and this season the match will be contested by Huddersfield Town and Reading.
Trends show Huddersfield come into this match having struggled towards the end of the season. David Wagner’s team have won only two of their previous nine matches and this form ended any hopes of them finishing in third place.
Huddersfield’s final three matches in the regular league season saw them pick up only 1 point and they entered the playoffs against Sheffield Wednesday needing to improve. In truth, the tie could have gone either way and despite not wining either leg of the semi-final, Huddersfield came through thanks to a penalty shoot-out.
Goals have been difficult to come by recently and trends show Huddersfield have scored once in their last four games.
Reading ended the regular season stronger than Huddersfield despite suffering a huge 7-1 defeat at Norwich City in early April. That result could easily have derailed Reading’s season but they responded well and went on to win four of their last five league games.
Reading finished third in the Championship and met sixth place Fulham in the playoff semi-final. Having scored an away goal in the first leg, which finished 1-1, Reading were the favourites with their strong home defensive record. Jaap Stam’s team won the second leg 1-0 to progress to the final 2-1 on aggregate.
Looking at the team news ahead of the game and midfielder Philip Billing and defender Jon Gorenc Stankovic are both injured for Huddersfield. Elias Kachunga should recover in time having been forced off in the second leg of the playoff semi-final but on loan Chelsea midfielder Kasey Palmer remains a doubt due to a lack of match fitness.
Reading must make do without their captain Paul McShane, who was sent off in the playoff semi-final. Callum Harriott, Stephen Quinn and striker Deniss Rakels are all injured and will miss the match.
Both league matches between these teams were won thanks to a single goal, with each team winning their home match. Huddersfield and Reading finished the league season with the lowest goal difference of any team in the top ten and both facts suggest a close game is in store, without much space for the forwards.
Under 2.5 goals is a real prospect and the match could end level, with the teams entering extra-time and penalties to find a winner.
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