Coventry City and Luton Town square off against each other next Saturday in the most valuable game in football.
The Championship playoff final will be contested on the 27th of May, with the winners earning a place in the Premier League for next season.
Both sides have enjoyed a brilliant league campaign in the Championship, with Luton finishing third while Coventry ended up in fifth.
The latter overcame Middlesborough in the semifinal, while Luton came back from a 2-1 deficit in the first leg to see off Sunderland with a 2-0 win in the second leg.
It would be interesting to see how the game pans out. Both sides have enough firepower up front, with Luton’s Carlton Morris and Coventry’s Viktor Gyokers finishing in the top three in the golden boot race.
Luton have battled back from non-league
Luton were one of the founding members of the Premier League, but they never played in the top flight, being relegated a season before the league started.
After financial issues, the club fell out of the football league in 2009, spending five years in the non-league wilderness.
They have battled back to the Championship and reached the playoffs last season, and despite defeat, they will aim to go one better this time.
However, should they qualify for the Premier League, they won’t be allowed to play their home games at Kenilworth Road as per the league’s rules.
An investment of over £10m is required as reported to abide by the rules. A move away to Power Court ground has been proposed, but what is in store remains to be seen.
Coventry on edge of Premier League return
Coventry, on the other hand, have its own redemption story.
The FA Cup winners in 1987 spent more than three decades in the top flight until relegation in 2001.
They bounced around the football league and have had repeated issues with their stadium. They haven’t been able to play at their home stadium as the pitch was deemed unsafe.
A new pitch is required to be installed, which, per reports, would take time to install.
With the riches of the Premier League almost in sight, both sides would be eager to get one over the other to complete their redemption arc in the winner takes all encounter next week.
Photo credit: IMAGO / Action Plus
