Real and Barcelona top football’s rich list

Posted date: January 25, 2013 In: Sports

LONDON (AP) – Real Madrid has remained football’s biggest money maker for the eighth straight year as many of Europe’s leading football clubs shrugged off the economic hardship engulfing the continent and boosted their revenue.

The Spanish champions became the first sports team anywhere to break the (euro) 500 million (US$666 million) revenue barrier as they stayed ahead of Spanish rival Barcelona in the Football Money League compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte.

Both teams saw their income rise by 7% during the 2011-12 season with Madrid taking in US$683million and Barcelona US$643million.

While the top six teams remained unchanged, only third-place Manchester United revenue’s dropped, with a fall of 3 percent to US$507million after exiting last season’s Champions League at the group stage led to a reduction in television income.

United is followed by Bayern Munich on US$490million, European champion Chelsea on US$413million and Arsenal on US$372million.

Manchester City leapt five places to seventh with revenue of US$366 million in the season that the heavy investment by the Abu Dhabi ownership delivered a first English title in 44 years.

The only new entry is 20th-place Newcastle, which took Valencia’s place to return to the list after a three-year absence by generating US$148 million in revenue after it unexpectedly finished fifth in the league.

The complete top 20 is: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, AC Milan, Liverpool, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Tottenham, Schalke, Napoli, Marseille, Lyon, Hamburg, AS Roma, Newcastle.