STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Sat: Hull v Middlesbrough

Hull City can make it three from three at Wembley when they face Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final today, writes JOE CITRONE.

The Tigers have never lost a play-off final – winning in 2008 and 2016 – and Sergej Jakirovic’s men will be desperate to keep that perfect record intact and end a nine-year wait for Premier League football.

It has been the most extraordinary build-up in play-off history. Middlesbrough lost to Southampton in the semi-finals before the Saints were thrown out of the competition after admitting to filming Boro’s training session.

Middlesbrough now have another golden chance – and one game left to make it count.

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Hull City v Middlesbrough
Championship Play-Off Final
15:30 Sky Sports Main Event

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD

HULL CITY
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS Millwall 0-2 Hull City
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS Hull City 0-0 Millwall
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Hull City 2-1 Norwich City
APR 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Charlton Athletic 2-1 Hull City
APR 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Leicester City 2-2 Hull City

MIDDLESBROUGH
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS Southampton 1-1 Middlesbrough
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton
MAY 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Wrexham 2-2 Middlesbrough
APR 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Middlesbrough 5-1 Watford
APR 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP Middlesbrough 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday

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Kim Hellberg’s side, despite missing Tommy Conway through injury, will be a threat here and will be boosted by the return of midfield maestro Hayden Hackney.

Hull do have history on their side, though, and Mohamed Belloumi’s heroics at The Den showed they have the quality to hurt anyone on their day.

But, that said, after what’s gone on previously, it just feels like this is Middlesbrough’s moment now, and I am backing them to get the job done.

Hull have been involved in a fair few high-scoring games this season, and Middlesbrough have attacking quality to cause problems, so I can see some goals in this game. At 11/5 with starsports.bet, I am backing Boro and over 2.5 goals.

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