What top-four failure would mean for Liverpool’s finances, their Bellingham bid and Klopp’s future

It’s impossible to start anywhere else, really. The Champions League may be the most prestigious competition in club football, but it is also the most lucrative.

Liverpool earned more than £100 million ($112 million) from their run to the final in 2021-22, and have already pocketed more than £33 million ($37 million) this time around having qualified comfortably for the last 16. to reach the final again, they could add just 37.5 million pounds ($42 million) in prize money.

Add to that the “coefficient payment”, which will see the Reds earn nearly £30 million ($34 million) due to their third place in the list, and broadcast income, of which 50% they are paid to national federations with 50% paid in proportion to the number of matches each club plays in the competition, and the financial incentives are obvious.

“That (a top-four finish) is always our goal at the start of the season,” Reds CEO Billy Hogan told BILD earlier this year. “Of course, the classification is important because of the turnover we can make in the Champions League.

“But the way we run the club is to make sure we are as sustainable as possible. You can’t automatically count on qualifying for the Champions League.”

However, Liverpool have been able to count on Champions League football and Champions League revenue in each of the last six seasons, and this has played a major role in the club’s growth, with revenue that has reached 487 million pounds ($546 million) in the last published accounts and is expected to top 600 million pounds ($673 million) in the next set.

Losing such a lucrative source of income, even for a single season, would have a huge impact.

We’ve seen the struggles faced by clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United after falling off the Champions League gravy train, and the fear is that, having played in three of the last five finals, Liverpool will also I could find myself on the outside looking in. , regarding the first European table.

Source: What top-four failure would mean for Liverpool’s finances, their Bellingham bid and Klopp’s future