• More: 2016/17 Premier League fixtures in UAE time
The National's sports team is counting down the days until defending champion Leicester City take on newly promoted Hull City in the opening fixture of the 2016-17 English Premier League season by looking at one team a day. Today, Middlesbrough.
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After a 7-year absence, Middlesbrough are back in the Premier League, and their hopes of staying there could depend largely on the club's Spanish contingent, most notably the man in the dugout.
Aitor Karanka, the former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, was given his first managerial role by Boro in 2013 and so far, aside from the training ground episode in March, it has proved a successful partnership. How Karanka adapts himself and his players to the Premier League will be fundamental to their season’s ambitions.
Karanka has recruited three of his compatriots to help Middlesbrough achieve their goals, including former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who will provide some top-flight experience between the sticks, full-back Antonio Barragan from Valencia, and arguably their most crucial signing of the summer, Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo on a season loan. Negredo will be remembered by Manchester City fans following his 23 goals across all competitions during the 2013/14 season, however with only nine of those coming in the Premier League he departed after just the one season.
If Middlesbrough can get the best out of Negredo, it could go some way to securing their Premier League status for a year.
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Countdown series schedule
• Hull City: Promoted club had unstable summer
• Today: Middlesbrough
• Tomorrow: Burnley
• Wednesday: Sunderland
• Thursday: Bournemouth
• Friday: Crystal Palace
• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion
• Sunday, July 31: Watford
• Monday, Aug 1: Swansea City
• Tuesday, Aug 2: Everton
• Wednesday, Aug 3: Chelsea
• Thursday, Aug 4: Stoke City
• Friday, Aug 5: Liverpool
• Saturday, Aug 6: West Ham United
• Sunday, Aug 7: Southampton
• Monday, Aug 8: Manchester United
• Tuesday, Aug 9: Manchester City
• Wednesday, Aug 10: Tottenham
• Thursday, Aug 11: Arsenal
• Friday, Aug 12: Leicester City
• Saturday, Aug 13: Premier League season begins
jturner@thenational.ae
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