Liverpool face potential nine-figure financial hit after Anfield thrashing by Atalanta
Liverpool find their Europa League hopes hanging by a thread after they were unexpectedly thrashed 3-0 by Atalanta at Anfield in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday (11 April).
On top of the increased chances that Jurgen Klopp bows out of the club without another trophy and the end of the season, following the FA Cup loss at Manchester United on 14 March, the Reds could also see more than £14million go begging if they can’t stage a comeback in Bergamo.
Clearly, this is a side that a capable of overturning a sizeable deficit in Europe, as Barcelona can infamously attest to, even if it is a different prospect away from Anfield.
But if Klopp isn’t able to see his side past Gian Piero Gasperini’s men next week (18 April) it will close the door on a decent amount of prize money, as well as match day and TV revenue from another big European night.
According to Dave Powell in the Liverpool Echo at the start of the season (21 September) the total UEFA funds to clubs in the Europa League this term is expected to be £402m.
Liverpool at risk of significant Europa League cash going begging
There is a share of the co-efficient bonus to consider which Liverpool will have landed the highest share of thanks to their strong recent history in the Champions League, but the prize money for qualification to the semi-final is reportedly £2.42m, with £4m for reaching the final, and an additional £3.46m for winning the competition.
The Reds had been one of the favourites to go all the way, at least prior to the big Atalanta win, but that would be £9.88m lost unless they can overturn a three-goal deficit and fulfil expectations of success.
With one leg of the semis at Anfield should they make it through the club would be expected to make somewhere in the region of £4.2m from the game based on last seasons figures quoted by Powell, so that is another windfall now at risk.
And on top of that there is a share of the £120.6m TV revenue due to every side, with part of the allocation decided on progress made in the competition, necessarily reducing the Liverpool share if they go out two steps before the final.
The figures involved may not be earth-shattering for a club the size of Liverpool, particularly compared to the sums on offer in the Champions League.
But having failed to reach the premier club competition the club’s board wouldn’t be delighted for their already-reduced European revenue to be missing a potential nine-figure boost, especially in an era of much greater focus on profit and sustainability and when they have already announced increased ticket prices due to rising costs.
In other Liverpool news, the return of a key player was a silver lining to a chastening defeat for the women’s side.
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