November 29, (THEWILL) – Barcelona took a pivotal step towards financial recovery by qualifying for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 and securing over €70 million in earnings. A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Porto on Tuesday, sealed progression, with goals from Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix overturning Porto’s early lead.
The win not only secured Barcelona’s place in the next round but also guaranteed them €2.8 million in prize money for the victory itself. Combined with Barcelona’s three previous group stage wins and earnings from participation fees, coefficient rankings and television revenue, total Champions League earnings so far this season have reached €70.55 million.
Barcelona can add up to €2.8m more by defeating Royal Antwerp in their final group fixture next month. However, even greater riches await should they advance deeper into the knockout stages. Reaching the quarter-finals would bring in an extra €10.6m, with €20m reserved for the champions.
After failing to progress from the group stage in the previous two seasons, Barcelona’s return to the round of 16 and accompanying financial windfall provides welcome relief. The additional revenue will aid their ongoing rebuild under manager Xavi Hernandez. Qualification was under threat after Porto initially led Tuesday’s decisive contest before Cancelo and Felix turned the tide in Barc’s favour to seal passage.
La Blaugrana will likely need to capture the European crown to fully stabilise their precarious financial position. However, this season’s UCL run has already earned the Catalan club over €70 million and that will count for something.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
