How much is Champions League revenue worth? With Juventus already in a precarious financial position, it is worth unpicking just how much they will lose out on, should they fail to finish in the top four.
How Much is Champions League Revenue Worth?
As fans weigh up all the possible Serie A permutations ahead of the final gameweek, Juventus are staring down the barrel at a hugely decisive fixture against Venezia.
Their opponents welcome the Old Lady in a pivotal clash for their own survival in Serie A, while Juve — who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot — will be wary of competition from the capital aiming to knock them out of contention.
For a club of Juventus’ stature, the possibility of finishing outside the Champions League places is an unimaginable tragedy. You only have to rewind two seasons to see the impact that had on the club, amid a 10-point deduction which saw them finish all the way back in seventh.
Their hopes of joining Europe’s elite next season now rest on a single game, and although the club yearns to be competing at the highest level above all else, the financial implications of the Champions League can not be understated.
Taking into account everything from matchday revenue and television rights, to qualification and performance bonuses, Juventus could potentially lose out on upwards of €100 million in Champions League revenue.
After a season full of inconsistencies, Juventus are gearing up for a huge summer in the transfer window. It has begun by shoring up the defence, tying down Federico Gatti to a long-term contract, while Kim Min-Jae’s arrival from Bayern Munich is being worked on behind the scenes.
However, the club are also keen to bolster their attacking line after a low-scoring season, and missing out on extra revenue could force them into selling the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and standout performer Kenan Yildiz, in order to free up fiscal breathing room.
How Juventus Finances May Be Hit
Juventus posted a loss of €199.2 million for the 2023-24 financial year, which came after failing to qualify for the Champions League the season before.
With the club already experiencing heavy losses, they were also forced to take out a €15m loan from parent company, Exor, in order to terminate Thiago Motta’s contract back in March.
This comes after dropping nearly €200m in transfer fees last summer, in the hopes of offsetting that by qualifying for Europe.
Of course, Juventus are very much in the driving seat when it comes to the final top four spot, and will fancy their chances at collecting all three points against lowly Venezia.
It is, however, interesting to note that they were held to a 2-2 draw in Turin earlier in the season, and a similar result would allow both Lazio and Roma to take advantage at the final hurdle.
