Kieran Maguire: Celtic hit by £38m hammer blow
Celtic have lost out to the tune of approximately £38million after their failure to qualify for the Europa League knockout rounds.
So says finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after last night’s (25 November) 3-2 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
That result leaves the Hoops four points behind second-place Real Betis in Group G and mathematically incapable of progressing to the last-16.
It is the second successive season in which Celtic have failed to make the knockout rounds, and they will now drop down into the Conference League.
As quoted by the Daily Record, manager Ange Postecoglou admitted: “We are not at this level yet.”
Maguire explains that lost prize money, gate receipts and broadcast income mean Celtic could be up to £38m worse off.
“The three defeats have already cost them about £3m in performances-related prize money,” he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.
“Celtic were effectively the seventh-seeded team according to their coefficient, so they could drop down. They take a hit there as well.
“In terms of being knocked out, we are looking at around about £9m in lost prize money as opposed to getting to the final.
“There is potentially a similar amount from the market pool. So the best part of £20m, according to my analysis.
“Then you have the gate receipts from another three matches at Celtic Park. They could be looking at around £2m per match. So that’s another £6m.”
The defeat to Leverkusen was Postecoglou’s side’s first in 10 matches.
They will now face one of eight runners-up from the Conference League group stages in the play-off rounds for Europe’s third-tier competition.
In other news, Alex McLeish “amazed” by Celtic controversy after statement issued.