$123 Million: Liverpool Target Massive Payday after Shellshocking Barcelona
Liverpool will be richly rewarded should they win the Champions League after last night's unprecedented European victory against Barcelona. | Source: Reuters' Edited by CCN.com
By CCN.com: Liverpool isn’t only still in the race for club soccer’s most prestigious tournament. After defeating Barcelona in a crushing 4-0 victory at Anfield last night, The Reds are still in contention for the largest honeypot in the UEFA Champions League’s history.
Last night’s nail-biter has already secured Liverpool an additional €15 million (± $16,8 million) with a potential €4 million (± $4,48) to boot if they overcome their opponents in the June final in Madrid.
Liverpool: By the Numbers
Prize money for the 2018/19 seasons tallies to a staggering €1,95 billion (± $2,2 billion) to be divvied up amongst the teams as they progress. According to UEFA , the maximum prize money a team can earn is €82,45 million (± $92,3 million) if they perform flawlessly throughout the competition.
That doesn’t, however, include the market pool that accounts for television market share which differs from country to country. Despite finishing second in the 2014/15 season, runners-up Juventus still pulled in a whopping €89 million (± $99,7 million) even though only a third of that came down to prize money.
A Run of Good Form
Liverpool’s run of good form in the last couple of years hasn’t gone unnoticed, particularly by those with financial ties to the club. NBA star Lebron James was quick to make his feelings known after the game. And for good reason. James owns a two percent stake in the Anfield club, a purchase he made back in 2011.
According to the Gold Coast Bulletin :
At the time it cost him $9.2 million but now the total worth is understood to be almost five times that at around $49.9 million and with Liverpool into the Champions League final the club is expected to earn approximately another $100 million.
Football finance writer @SwissRamble notes that the maximum amount that Liverpool could earn this season in the Champions League tops €110 million. Prize money has increased substantially from last year, up by more than ten percent in fact.
Liverpool earned €81 million (± $90,5 million) in last years competition by reaching the final. This years semi-final spot earned them a cool €92 million (± $92,3 million) which has obviously increased since last nights emphatic win.
A Fight to the Finish
Astute students of the game will no doubt be keeping an eye out for the potential double victory that could await the Merseyside team in the next couple of weeks. The odds of topping the English Premier League table are slim with only one game remaining with Manchester City in the lead. Either way, Liverpool have some serious paydays on the horizon.
At the very least, the team has secured a second position spot earning them £36.5 million (± $47,5 million). An additional £2 million (± $2,6 million) awaits them if Manchester City fail to capitalize on their lead in the final game. That and significant TV revenue would see The Reds pocketing somewhere in the region of £151.6 million (± $197 million) come season end.
