According to the Deloitte Football Money League 2019 study, Real Madrid is now the richest club in the world after generating a record revenue of $867.7 million over the course of the 2017-18 season. Last year’s number one, Manchester United, has fallen to number three in the rankings and been overtaken by Barcelona as well.
In the soccer world, one of the best sights for sore eyes is the return of the Champions League.
Sometimes, watching Champions League teams playing league cup matches against weak opposition can be really dull after a while. For example, Manchester City’s 9-0 drubbing of Burton Albion a few weeks ago. In a lot of ways, European soccer without Champions League becomes kind of monotonous. At some point between the last Champions League group stage match and the start of the Round of 16, soccer fans will be wondering when the tournament will start up again.
The Carabao Cup is essentially a contest to determine which Premier League side has the most expansive, expensively assembled reserve team. It’s a test of squad depth that only a handful of clubs can afford to juggle while the rigors of league play take precedent, and so it comes as absolutely no surprise that Manchester City has won the competition three of the last five years and is on the cusp of making it four of six.
Real Madrid doesn’t like losing players for cheap. Because of the club’s massive history in world football and its financial muscle, the players Los Blancos bring in are meant to be world-class. Apart from Real's huge wage bill and transfer budget, the amazing part of player contracts at the club are the release clauses, and young players like Brahim Diaz are no exception.
The values of the biggest clubs in soccer have skyrocketed over the last five years, thanks in large part to revenue growth. A large portion of this revenue comes from the most expensive shirt sponsorship deals in all of sports, and it should come as no surprise that the three clubs with the largest jersey sponsorship deals also constitute the three most valuable soccer teams in the world.
The list is largely dominated by English Premier League sides and the Dubai-based airline Emirates, both obvious signs of the time.
When looking at some of the world’s best teams, football’s future looks very bright. Manchester City for example is a testament to modern progressive football: back-to-front play in quick succession and starting attacks from the goalkeeper. Many European sides have adopted the tactic, as it encourages more open play.
It begs the question: Where is football heading in the next decade?
She said it, and viewers felt it, because NBCSN gets it.
“Best game of the season by a country mile,” Rebecca Lowe said as the NBCSN coverage of Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool moved from the announcers in the booth at the Etihad back to the studio analysts stateside.
The best match of the season, perhaps the most important match of the season, had all the gravitas expected of such an event on Thursday because NBCSN continues to show it is the best soccer broadcaster in America.
Before today’s Premier League showdown between leaders Liverpool and defending champions Manchester City, a tweet from The Guardian’s German football correspondent Raphael Honigstein was shown a lot of love, and, in hindsight, for incredible reason.
Arguably one of the biggest matches of the season in the Premier League kicks off Thursday at the Etihad Stadium. Visitor Liverpool will be looking to extend its lead at the top of the table with a win over the champion and title challenger Manchester City.
The holiday period is a crazy time for the Premier League. Many of Europe’s top leagues take a break until the new year, but England continues its fixture list with a plethora of matches. The Christmas period is considered one of the toughest periods of the season, as the calendar for England’s top clubs is packed to the brim.