BARCELONA
How much money have Barcelona missed out on in the Champions League and Europa League?
Despite Robert Lewandowski scoring his 25th goal of the season, Barcelona lost to Manchester United in the Europa League on Thursday.
Yet another financial blow for Barcelona as a result of a disappointing result in Europe, this time against Manchester United in the Europa League. After being knocked out the Champions League, where they missed out on the chance to make a minimum of €52.7 million (approximately €9.9 million for playing in the round of 16, €10.6 million for making it to the quarter-finals, €12.5 million for qualifying for the semi-finals, €15.5 million for reaching the final and another €4.5 million - for a total of €20 million - for winning the competition), they have suffered similar disappointment in the Europa League.
How much have Barcelona missed out on making from the Europa League?
The Catalans, who had budgeted to earn a minimum of €20.2 million from European competition this season, have also passed up the opportunity to earn €14.4 million for advancing in the Europa League (round of 16: €1.2 million, quarter-finals: €1.8 million, semi-finals: €2.8 million, runners-up: €4.6 million, winners: €8.6 million).
It’s an off-the-field setback that adds insult to injury after an on-field performance that does little to reflect their perceived status as European heavyweights. Since they won the Champions League in 2015, Barça have suffered one crisis after another in Europe.
One crisis after another for Barcelona in Europe
A 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid at the Estadio Vicente Calderón in the quarter-finals in 2015-16 was just the beginning. The following year, a miraculous 6-1 thrashing of Paris-Saint Germain in the round of 16 second leg saw them overcome a 4-0 first-leg deficit but they then suffered a heavy 3-0 loss to Juventus in the very next round. in 2017-18, they were all but through to the semi-finals after a 4-1 home win over an average Roma side, only to lose on away goals after a 3-0 second-leg defeat in Italy. The year after, they arguably went one better, following up with a 4-0 hammering against Liverpool at Anfield knocking them out at the semi-final stage after they had beaten the Reds 3-0 at Camp Nou, in what was quite possibly Lionel Messi’s last masterclass in a Barça shirt.
The came the 8-2 humiliation against Bayern Munich in Lisbon (2019-20), a 4-1 home loss to PSG in the round of 16 (2020-21) and two 3-0 defeats to Bayern in the group stage in 2021-22, when they failed to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time in forever. And all that without mentioning the shock home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, a game in which the away fans outnumbered their home counterparts.
Barcelona to pay Bayern Munich for Robert Lewandowski goal milestone
In addition to the €14.4 million that Barcelona will no longer be able to earn for advancing in the Europa League, the club will have to add another €1.25 million to the total to pay Bayern Munich for Robert Lewandowski. The Pole scored his 25th goal of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford, which has triggered an add-on clause which the clubs agreed when the striker moved to Camp Nou. Barça will have to pay that amount (€1.25 million) in every season Lewandowski hits in the 25-goal mark.