Spanish football giant, Real Madrid with a record revenue of €750.9m leapfrogged Manchester United to the table of the world’s 20 richest football clubs in Europe, according to Deloitte Money League.
English side, Man United slipped to third with Barcelona making it the first Spanish one-two since 2014-15.
Man United had been top of the Deloitte Money League for the previous two years but despite a return to the Champions League did not venture beyond the round of 16, so Real and Barcelona have overtaken them as Europe’s top two earners in the table.
Its Football Money League, based on season 2017-18, also shows the combined revenues of the top 20 clubs has risen 6% to €8.3bn (£7.4bn), a new record.
There were a record six English Premier League clubs in the top 10.
The list, the 22nd of its kind, only looks at revenues and does not take into account club debts.
This gap this year between the top two places was the second widest yet, with €60.5m between the leading pair.
Real Madrid won their third successive Champions League, beating Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev last May.
That helped raise income for Los Blancos, who have now topped Deloitte’s money league 12 times.
The club experienced commercial growth of €54.8m, including an increase in sponsorship and merchandising revenues, as well as exploitation of increasingly lucrative pre-season tour matches.
At €356.2m, Real Madrid now have the highest commercial revenue of any football club globally, contributing to those world-record revenues.
Dan Jones, head of Deloitte’s sports business group, said: “Real Madrid’s outstanding financial performance in 2017-18 is built on their long history of success on the pitch, most recently three consecutive Champions League titles.
“This has enabled the club to continue to drive commercial revenue as the appetite to partner with Europe’s most successful clubs remains stronger than ever.”
He said most of Deloitte’s top 10 of our top 10 were through to the round of 16 in this season’s Champions League and forecasting further revenue growth.
Bayern Munich and Manchester City completed the top five, retaining their positions from the past two years.
Paris St-Germain, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur occupied places six to 10, with Spurs making it into the top tier for only the second time, having last appeared in 2006-07.
Everton were in 17th spot, Newcastle United 19th, and West Ham United 20th.
BBC
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