Monday, March 3rd, 2008
Manchester United have moved from fourth to second in the list of the world’s richest clubs and Barcelona has reached second place, as Real Madrid stayed top for the third straight year.
Deloitte’s Football Money League, which is based on revenues generated during 2006/07, was headed by United for eight years until the Spaniards deposed them.
Chelsea are fourth in Deloitte’s table, even though the Blues regularly make huge losses. Arsenal are fifth. In all, there are seven British clubs in the top 20.
Three of the four clubs that dropped out of the list were also British - Manchester City, Glasgow Rangers, and West Ham United.
And, looking ahead to next year’s report, the authors state that “2007/08 could see England providing half the Money League clubs”.
The list shows that the game’s riches continue to be monopolised by the same group of clubs, with only one change in the top 10 from the previous season.
Deloitte’s figures take into account income from ticket sales, merchandising and broadcasting contracts but do not include transfer revenues.
Between them, the collective revenue of the top 20 clubs - all European - grew by 11% to £2.5bn in 2006/07, the highest rate of growth since 2002/03.
The 5 first places of that League are ( in millions of £): Real Madrid 236.2, Manchester United 212.1, Barcelona 195.3, Chelsea 190.5 and Arsenal 177.6.
Tags: Deloitte's
Posted in Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
AXA FC Barcelona will play in Group G of Top 16 phase together with CSKA Moscow, Unicaja Malaga and Lottomatica Rome and knows it is time to give its best from now on. The team overcame injuries and a slow start to finish third in Group C of first phase right behind Panathinaikos and Real Madrid. Coach Ivanovic has been loyal to his style of basketball, featuring intense man-to-man defence and a patient offensive based on a rock-solid attack and the inspiration of a star-flooded defence. As such, Barcelona enters the Top 16 as one of the best teams in two-point percentage and assists. Barcelona found a reference player in Roger Grimau, whose aggressiveness, intensity and superb driving skills has allowed players like Gianluca Basile or Jaka Lakovic to get more open shots throughout the season. Lakovic has been more comfortable playing shooting guard alongside pass-first playmaker Pepe Sanchez, who has tried to keep everyone happy with his superb court vision. Players like Ersan Ilyasova and Alex Acker have not lived up to the big expectations, however, but they have the most important games ahead of them to prove all the critics wrong. Acker and especially Ilyasova have improved in the last month of competition and are ready for more. Barcelona has had a major attack reference in Mario Kasun, who was sidelined in the final regular season games. Whether he will be fully recovered or not remains to be seen. As such, experienced big man Denis Marconato, do-it-all forward Jordi Trias and especially centre Fran Vazquez have to step up right when it matters. Above all, Barcelona has a package of experience, talent, depth and athleticism that turns the team into a potential nightmare for all its opponents. Therefore by sure that for the three matches that Barça will play at Palau tickets will be sold out.
Tags: palau blaugrana, Roger Grimau, Trias, Vazquez
Posted in ACB League, AXA FC Barcelona, Real Madrid | No Comments »