Real Madrid, Barcelona top Money League – again
Real, Barca top Money League – again
Posted: 2012-02-09 09:45
Real Madrid and Barcelona remain top of football’s rich list as the Spanish duo moved further clear of their rivals from England, Germany, Italy and France.
According to the 2012 Deloitte Football Money League, published today, the Liga giants are the only clubs with annual revenue over €450million.
Real top the Football Money League for the seventh year in succession and are now just one year short of equalling Manchester United’s dominance in the top position during the first eight years of the Money League.
However, they are being chased hard by rivals Barcelona, whose 13 per cent growth in 2010/11 meant revenue surpassed €450m for the first time.
“Barca’s shirt deal with the Qatar Foundation will further boost the club’s revenue in 2011/12. Nonetheless, Real will be confident it can remain at the top of the Money League next year. The two clubs’ on-pitch performance, particularly in this season’s Champions League, will have a big influence on the final outcome,” commented Dan Jones, Partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.
United’s failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League in 2011/12 will likely result in the gulf between the club and its Spanish opponents stretching to over €100m.
Once again, the Money League top 20 comprises clubs from the ‘big five’ European leagues, six of which come from the English Premier League, while a further five English clubs were just outside the top 20 for revenues in the 2010/11 season (Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Everton, West Ham United and Sunderland).
Tottenham’s debut in the Champions League, where they reached the quarter-finals, almost helped then to 10th spot in this year’s Money League.
However, they were leapfrogged by Bundesliga side Schalke – this year’s biggest climbers – who jumped six places, pushing Italian giants Juventus out of the top 10 in the process. Schalke’s dramatic rise up the Money League came as a result of a Champions League campaign that saw the club reach the semi-finals of the competition.
Nevertheless, a disappointing 14th-place finish in the 2010/11 Bundesliga season and failure to qualify for Champions League football in 2011-12 will likely see a drop back down the rankings next year.
For the fourth successive year, the clubs comprising the top six places in the Money League – Madrid, Barcelona, United, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea – have remained the same, with no movement in their respective positions for the last three years.
DELOITTE MONEY LEAGUE - THE TOP 10
1. Real Madrid (€479.5m)
2. Barcelona (€450.7m)
3. Manchester Utd (€367m)
4. Bayern Munich (€321.4m)
5. Arsenal (€251.1m)
6. Chelsea (€249.8m)
7. Milan (€235.1m)
8. Inter (€211.4m)
9. Liverpool (€203.3m)
10. Schalke (€202.4m)
: 2012-02-09 09:56
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