No team has reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League more often than FC Barcelona. But the 15th participation is shaky. The Catalans, however, had calculated on it.
1.35 billion euros Debts, a record loss in the 2020/21 annual report of 481 million euros: FC Barcelona has almost driven itself to ruin with its mismanagement – and now the next million euro hole is looming.
The Catalans had firmly planned to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, which they regularly did. 20.2 million euros would earn the club a place in the last eight.
But even the round of 16 is in acute danger. Barcelona (7 points) have to play FC Bayern Munich (15) in Group E on Wednesday, in the first leg the Catalans had nothing to report. Their direct rivals Benfica Lisbon (5) have a much easier task at home against Dynamo Kiev (1).
A place in the last 16 would bring 9.6 million into the coffers, the quarter-finals another 10.6 million euros Income on which the cash-strapped Catalans depend, because there is considerably less to be had in the Europa League. A semi-final appearance would be rewarded with 6.3 million euros Should the Blaugrana win the competition, 14.9 million would go into the account. Still significantly less than a quarter-final finish in the top flight.
There is a lot at stake for Barcelona on Wednesday. After all, Champions League qualification for the coming season is anything but assured. The Catalans are currently only in seventh place, some way behind the top four in Spain.
