It is a snub of history that could have terrible repercussions. Juventus and Liverpool dreamed of a Super League to reduce the sporting hazard. And above all to ensure regular pensions in order to avoid more delicate periods. Eventually, the nightmare they no longer wanted to contemplate could come true a few months after seeing their dissenting closed league project slipped into oblivion right after it was announced. And if they do not manage to reverse the trend in the coming days to grab a folding seat for the C1, the Reds and Bianconeri will see the clouds accumulate. The consequences could even be dramatic.
Liverpool are currently only sixth in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. The Mersey club has two fewer games on the Blues including its late match to play – against Manchester United, Thursday – but its C1 mission promises to be delicate. For its part, Juventus is fifth in Serie A, one point behind Naples (4th) while there are only two days to go. And the Turinese will have to cross swords this weekend with Inter Milan. Again, it is not won. Not going to the Champions League, however, would be a sporting disaster. But above all for the finances of the two clubs.
Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool
Credit: Getty Images
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Hit hard by the crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, like many formations in Europe, Juventus and Liverpool are in the red. The English giant has just announced a loss of 53 million euros for its 2019-2020 financial year. And Juventus, which has seen its balance sheets go negative since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, did even worse with a deficit of more than 110 million euros in the first half of its 2020-21 fiscal year. Not being able to count on the lucrative C1 next year would clearly be a real headache for club accountants.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Fiorentina-Juventus, Serie A 2020-21, Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
Liverpool benefit from the strength of the Premier League
The Reds coach is optimistic. A bit too much ? Maybe. The Mersey club will inevitably have fewer arguments by missing the C1. To attract new players. But also to keep them, like Mo Salah for example, whose future intrigues in the North of England. But the German technician is not totally wrong either. Especially if we compare the situation of the 2020 England champion to that of his Italian counterpart. Liverpool, which had recorded a profit of 48.3 million euros before the Covid, has the advantage of having a solid foundation with 558.6 million euros in revenue, according to the report by the English audit firm Deloitte in last january.
Even without C1, the host of Anfield will mostly continue to receive income from Premier League TV rights, which allowed him to pocket 172 million euros in 2019. Even with a decrease linked to the crisis, that leaves enough to face the future more calmly. Liverpool, who will find their defensive pillars Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, should certainly make concessions and review their lifestyle a little. But less than Juventus, where a change of strategy is likely to be necessary.
For Juve, we would have to review a lot of things
Juve, who are also under threat of suspension from UEFA for their stubbornness with the Super League, indeed have something to tremble. Because his finances are not healthy. The transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 has damaged the economy of the Turin club, which lives beyond its means. With his estimated salary of 31 million euros net (against 12 million for example for Mo Salah, the highest in Liverpool), the payroll of the Bianconeri has exploded. According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, it is now estimated at 236 million euros. Either more than that of the Reds (220 million euros) while Juve generates less income (397 million euros, according to the study by Deloitte).
Without the manna of the Champions League, the Old Lady could find herself facing an industrial disaster. The Turin club will then have difficulty in continuing to pay the colossal emoluments of CR7. Even players like Aaron Ramsey or Adrien Rabiot, whose income is estimated at 7 million euros net, could be required to pack their bags. In Italy, we even wonder about the case of Matthijs de Ligt, the club’s second highest earner, which represents an interesting market value. The repercussions could well be terrible for Juve. It is even an earthquake that could happen in Piedmont. And afterwards, it will be necessary to succeed in recovering from it. But that’s another story.
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