Published 11:22 IST, August 11th 2020
Man United's wage bill stands at £332m, at least 150 times more than FC Copenhagen numbers
Man United's wage bill stands at £332 million, which is at least 150 times more than the wage bill of the entire FC Copenhagen squad estimated at £19.8 million.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men continued their stunning run of form, sealing a semi-final spot in the Europa League at the expense of FC Copenhagen. Manchester United defeated FC Copenhagen 1-0 to seal a berth in the final four of the competition. One astonishing figure that emerged after the game suggests that the Red Devils' wage bill is reportedly 150 times more than their vanquished quarter-final rivals.
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Man United vs FC Copenhagen: Bruno Fernandes nets the only goal
Man United dominated FC Copenhagen for the major part of the game that was played in Cologne, Germany behind closed doors. Solskjaer's men managed 26 shots in the game as compared to nine from FC Copenhagen. Although the Danish side failed to register a single shot on target, they were successful in containing their opponents from breaking the deadlock throughout the 90 minutes. When the game went into extra time, Anthony Martial won a penalty, which was duly converted by Bruno Fernandes without his trademark jump in the run-up.
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Yawning chasm in Man United vs FC Copenhagen wage bill
With Man United advancing into the semi-finals, stunning stats point out the club's wage disparity with FC Copenhagen. Man United's wage bill for the previous season stood at £332 million ($435m). Meanwhile, FC Copenhagen's wage bill is close to 150 times lesser than their Europa League opponents, which is estimated at £19.8 million ($25.9m).
David de Gea reportedly earns £375,000 a week ($490,000) with the Red Devils, while 2018 World Cup-winning midfielder Paul Pogba pockets £290,000 ($380,000) per week. In fact, the Spanish shot-stopper's annual earnings, which is estimated at £19.5 million ($25.5m) is close to Copenhagen's overall wage bill. Man United have come under some flak in recent seasons due to their cavalier approach in handing out huge contracts to players.
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Man United's stunning penalty stats
Another interesting stat to have emerged out of the Man United vs FC Copenhagen contest is the sheer number of penalties Man United have been awarded this season. The Red Devils received 21 spot-kicks this season across all competitions. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who joined the Old Trafford outfit from Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon, has emerged as the main penalty-taker for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Portuguese international has taken seven penalties since his arrival, netting all of those; a 100 per cent conversion rate for the former Sporting Lisbon skipper.
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Image courtesy: AP
11:22 IST, August 11th 2020