Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barça, the most valuable football clubs in the world

The white club is the leader for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Football Benchmark ranking. The Blaugrana team falls one place and is now third, behind the Red Devils.

Real Madrid continues on a roll in the financial rankings. Not a week after the sporting disappointment due to the frustrated signing of Mbappé, the white club receives a new economic title for its particular showcase: for the fourth consecutive year it is the most valuable team in the world, according to the seventh edition of the report "Football clubs valuation : the European elite", published annually by Football Benchmak.

The study, to which EXPANSIÓN has had access, gives it a business value of 3,184 million euros, that is, 9% more than in the previous season thanks to its "continuous sporting and commercial successes", as explained by Andrea Sartori, founder and CEO of Football Benchmark, which indicates what a club is worth regardless of the capital structure used to finance its operations. Real Madrid is the only one that exceeds 3,000 million and one of the few big clubs that registered a net profit, although not very significant, in the two seasons affected by the pandemic.

It is followed by Manchester United, with 2,883 million (8% more) that serve to recover second place and thus overtake FC Barcelona, ​​which is the only team that varies its position and that sees its price drop in the top ten of the ranking evaluation of European football.

Specifically, Barça is left with 2,814 million, 2% less, caused by its "significantly lower financial results". The study, which is published today, highlights the salary mass ratio over income, of 88%, and the record loss of 461 million last season. "It was on course to be the first club to reach the coveted €1bn mark before the start of the health crisis... However, in parallel, it was also the one with the highest operating expenses, with spending rising in personnel costs", explains the study, which Football Benchmark publishes for the first time as an independent entity after the spin-off of the Sports Center of Excellence from KPMG, which Sartori also directed.

In that elite of ten most valuable clubs, Barça is also the only one that varies its position. Bayern remains fourth, with 2,749 million, followed by Liverpool (2,556 million), Manchester City (2,483 million), Chelsea (2,179 million), PSG (2,132 million), Tottenham (1,912 million) and Juventus (1,597 million). Of all of them, PSG registered the highest increase, 22%. "Boosted by the recent renewal of Kylian Mbappe's contract and the signing of Lionel Messi in 2021, there is little sign that this growth will stop."

In total, the study includes the 32 European clubs that meet two conditions: being in the top 50 for total operating income and for the UEFA coefficient of the last five years. There are four Spaniards: Atlético de Madrid, which is 12th with 1,234 million, 9% more; Sevilla, whose 390 million after a rise of 13% place him as 25th, just one place ahead of Valencia, with 385 million, 5% more. Villarreal is penultimate on the global list with 303 million thanks to an increase of 27% that makes it one of the eight teams that reach a record value.

Together, the added business value of those 32 teams grows 10% after the historical decrease of 15% last year, hit by the pandemic, adding a total of 37,000 million Although the figure is still below the peak of 39,700 million Before the pandemic, these figures show that "football is returning to normal," says Sartori. "The last few months have shown strong signs of recovery, as shown by stadiums and strong demand from sponsors and investors, who are looking ahead and studying the future instead of dwelling on the past," he adds. The number of clubs in the report of the five major leagues reaches a record, with 28 teams, which account for 96% of the total value. The Premier is the leader, with 10 teams and 42% of the overall rating. LaLiga is the next with the most representation (22%), despite having one less club than Italy, with seven and a weight of 13%.