Celtic and Rangers are untouchable as uncovered documents reveal £26m payout – Kieran Maguire
Uncovered Uefa documents reveal that Celtic have received a £26m payout
Celtic and Rangers are able to maintain their spot at the top of Scottish football due to the financial payouts from European competitions.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about Celtic’s Champions League earnings from last season.
Uefa published their prize money figures for the 2022-23 season this week, revealing that winners Manchester City earned £115million from the competition.
The documents also revealed that Celtic earned £26million from their participation despite failing to qualify from their group.
The Glasgow giants finished bottom of Group F without only two points but still pocketed a £26million prize that contributed to their record revenue of £120million last season.
Maguire believes Champions League qualification is ‘not essential’ for Celtic but allows them to be flexible in the transfer market.
“Because the Scottish TV deal is so modest, qualifying for Europe and especially the Champions League, is very beneficial,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“The money is three to four times that of the Europa League.
“It creates a virtuous circle because it gives you an advantage the following season in terms of your ability to spend in the transfer market and also pay wages.
“That’s why we have the position of the two Glasgow clubs being locked in at the top on a fairly permanent basis.
“Whether that’s good for the broader Scottish football landscape is a separate discussion.
“But for Celtic and their Champions League participation – it is very desirable but not essential.“
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