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They're in the money

Qualification to Europe’s flagship competition has always equated to significant financial windfalls, but never quite like this.

The revamped format, with the total games played climbing from 125 to 189, has swelled coffers at UEFA and ensured the 36 participating clubs have been handsomely rewarded. The total prize pot is forecast to stand at €2.47billion (£2.08bn, $2.59bn) this season, 22 per cent up on the €2.03bn of last.

UEFA effectively splits that three ways; an equal share, performance-related amounts and a complex and new ‘value pillar’ shaped by market pools and coefficients. An equal share of €18.6m has already gone to each of the 36 clubs involved in the group phase, with the chance to build on that number through match weeks one to eight. Every win has been worth €2.1m, every draw €700,000.

Alongside that has been the opportunity to earn more through league position. The higher you finish after the eight games are played, the more you bank. Broadly mirroring the Premier League’s merit payment system, every place in the table is worth an initial €275,000, with the eventual league-phase winners getting €9.9m. 

Liverpool’s win over Lille last week continued their perfect run in this season’s Champions League but, more importantly, secured them a direct path into the round of 16 in early March.  That has secured another two payments; €2m as a club finishing between first and eighth and €11m as a club that has qualified for the last 16.   (Last night’s second string defeat was irrelevant).

The eight clubs who reach the quarter-finals will get another €12.5m, before that is whittled down to four, with each semi-finalist rewarded with €15m. Hold your nerve and reach the final and that’s another €18.5m. Winning that beautiful old trophy is 'only' worth another €6.5m, albeit with the added kickback of earning €4m for featuring in next season’s European Super Cup.

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