Man united could've earned £8.5m in UCL knockouts, £1m more than Europa League prize money

Man United's return to Champions League football lasted only till the end of the group stage as the Red Devils will begin the new year with a return to the Europa League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side only needed a point to progress to the knockouts but went 3-2 down in Germany against RB Leipzig. While this will add pressure on Solskjaer to produce results in other competitions, the Red Devils will also lose a huge chunk of money due to their unceremonious exit. 

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Man United UCL exit means Red Devils will lose out on at least £8.5 million

Man United have faced full effects of the coronavirus pandemic and are one of the few clubs named in Tier 3, meaning fans will not be returning to Old Trafford soon. Their Champions League exit on Tuesday night means that Man United finances will take a further hit, which will be more pronounced due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report by The Athletic, Man United missed out on a sizeable £8.5 million after their defeat in Leipzig due to their failure to qualify for the knockouts. To put into perspective, the Red Devils will earn only £7.7 million from the Europa League winning prize, if they go on to lift the trophy. Champions League football provided further £9.5 million if the Solskjaer's side made it to the quarter-final, with £11million for qualification in the final four. 

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However, the Man United UCL exit will not hamper any of their sponsorship dealings or the deal with their kit makers Adidas. The Red Devils will receive the entire £75 million annual payment due to their qualification for the Champions League. Adidas were eligible to cut £25 million off their annual payment, in case Man United failed to qualify for the Champions League for two seasons in a row. The deal with shirt sponsors Chevrolet is also not affected, and the terms will only change if Manchester United get relegated from the Premier League. 

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Man United finances for the first quarter were published last month which revealed that the club’s revenue was £109 million, down 19.5 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. The Red Devils saw matchday revenue fall significantly to £1.7 million as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic with games played behind closed doors since the March. Man United's commercial revenue also dropped by a massive 25.7 per cent, to £59.7 million. Broadcast revenue saw a rise in the first quarter largely due to the Project Restart, with remaining games being played in July after the league was suspended in March. 

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(Image Courtesy: Man United Instagram)