Liverpool could miss out on as much as £200million if they were to fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The Reds go into tonight’s tricky trip to Sunderland six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and five adrift of Chelsea in fifth, the spot which is likely to win a place in Europe’s premium competition.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire, lecturer at University of Liverpool, outlines the income the Reds could miss out on if Arne Slot’s men fail to get into the Champions League - with Brentford level on points with the champions and also pushing for a spot.
‘If we take a look at Liverpool to date this season, they have made around £90m so far through the group stage - and remember they lost two games so that shows how lucrative the Champions League is,’ Maguire says.
‘Effectively for every £1 you make in the Champions League, you probably make 22p in the Europa League and 11p in the Conference League. So it really is a case of Champions League or bust as far as the finances are concerned.’
Given Anfield is almost always full, the impact on gate receipts should they have to settle for a second-tier European competition would not be too bad - though prices may come down to reflect the lesser competition – but money from commercial partners like adidas and Standard Chartered, for example, would fall. It might have a knock-on effect on on-pitch matters and recruitment is undoubtedly harder if you don’t have Champions League football to promise prospective signings.
That £90m already earned through the Champions League this season so far breaks down like this: Competing in the group phase: £16.1m (this falls to £3.7m in the Europa League, by way of comparison); Each group phase win brings an additional £1.8m (Liverpool won six games so it's £9.6m); and then there is plus broadcast money and other prize bonuses for qualification.
And there's more to come. ‘Liverpool could potentially make another £45m roughly if they progress and win the Champions League,’ adds Maguire. ‘That also means they would qualify for the Club World Cup in 2029… we saw how beneficial that was for Chelsea and Manchester City, nearly £80m each from that.
‘It is not essential but it is highly desirable to get that qualification. On top of that, the figures I have just quoted are the prize money from UEFA. If you have got four group games at Anfield plus another potential three or four in the knockouts, they can get £8m from a home match.
‘You do the maths and you’re probably talking around £190-£200m in total when you factor in bonuses from the likes of (commercial partners) adidas and Standard Chartered. So it is the £200m jackpot if you win the competition.’
Some of this money, of course, would be offset by player bonuses. Qualification for the Champions League means paying out big sums to players.
‘Players will get nothing for the Europa League or Conference League,' Maguire adds. 'I know some clubs that are even saying they would rather finish eighth than seventh as you probably lose money in the Conference League.'
titbclmuy
12
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