Finance guru: ‘Uefa holds the key’ after £115m Man City document reveal

Wed 19 January 2022 7:00, UK

Man City know that Champions League income is crucial if they want to improve on their revenue this season.

So says finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about City’s financial results for the year ending June 2021.

The document, which was published by City last Wednesday (12 January), showed annual revenues up 19 per cent to an astonishing £569.8million.

Headlines from new #ManCityAnnualReport: The Club posts profits of £2.4 million, returning to profitability after last year’s COVID-19-related losses.

Watch out for more interesting Annual Report stats today and over the next few days 📈

FULL REPORT: https://t.co/JI32JYkYML pic.twitter.com/poZ56HLdVK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 12, 2022

View Tweet

They achieved that feat despite the near-total lack of matchday income as a result of the pandemic.

City reached the final of the Champions League for the first time in their history in 2020-21, where they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea.

The report shows that the reigning Premier League champions trousered £114.8m from their Europe campaign.

MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES

Plumley predicted that City will again increase their turnover in 2021-22 if they can match their progress on the continental stage.

“The matchday revenue will jump,” the Sheffield Hallam University expert told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.

“Revenue will increase as a result. The last two seasons of success in the Champions League boost that pot as well.

“There is that trade-off because matchday revenue will increase but there is also the caveat of getting to the latter stages in Europe.

“They need to do that to keep that broadcasting money coming, and you get that little bit more on the commercial side of things that way too.

“If I’ve got my predicting hat on, I’d expect them to increase revenue next season again.

“But Uefa income very much holds the key to this one. It’s contingent on them getting to the latter stages of the Champions League again.”

City will face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League last 16, with the first leg in Portugal set to for 15 February.

Pep Guardiola’s side’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last Saturday (15 January) put them 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

In other news, ex-Premier League official suggests Raheem Sterling may stop Man City getting penalties as controversial footage analysed.