Just a day to go until Boro's first Premier League game in seven years
Karanka's side will take on Stoke in their first fixture in the Premier League for seven years.
There's only ONE sleep to go until Boro return to the big time in their first game in the Premier League for seven years.
It's seems like a lifetime ago that Karanka's squad earned themselves promotion but the day is only a matter of 24 hours away.
Stoke's visit to the north-east will see Boro back among the big boys for the first time in seven years, something which seemed a distant prospect the day in November 2013 when Karanka accepted chairman Steve Gibson's offer to step into management in his own right.
Asked if it was a long-held dream to work in the Premier League, he said: "Of course. When I came here two and a half years ago, the team was two or three points above the relegation positions and now for everybody it's a dream, so imagine for me as a coach!
"It's my first experience, so let the dream keep going.''
Karanka is aware of what it means to the whole town to have secured a return to the top flight.
He said: "It's a big challenge for me, but I think it's a good challenge for the football club too because after seven years, the club is in the Premier League, it is on the Premier League map and for that reason everybody is going to watch Middlesbrough playing every Saturday.''
John Donovan is from Twelfth Man fan club and is a season ticket holder.
He said: "We're on the cup of something, we've got to maintain it though, that's the greates difficulty.
"We've got to maintain our Premier League status because it won't do anybody any good just to enjoy a great promotion season only to struggle.
"May seems to far away but because of all the transfer activity, plus the updates of the stadium, it's just kept fans involved.
"Everybody who I speak to is so geared up for Saturday, I think it's going to be a fantastic atmosphere."
Don't forget TFM will be broadcasting live from the Riverside from 2pm - come and say hello!