One hundred million euros in eleven games. Continue to maintain its current status and a privileged position in Spanish and world football. To be able to maintain the squad and try not to lose any important player. And stay in the elite. That is what Atlético plays in the eleven league finals that remain from here to the end of the season. Money, lots of money, prestige, sponsors… Atlético with the 500 million budget knows that it is essential to finish the championship in the top four. Failure to do so, the outlook will change in the Madrid club in these coming months.
Atlético have earned € 77.2 million in Champions this season. And still alive in the competition. The earnings chapter is not closed in this campaign in the Champions League, since the market pool must be added to the mentioned amount. This quota is distributed according to the television market of each country. An exercise ago the four Spanish clubs that played in the Champions League shared out 61 million. And Atlético won from this amount, 16.2 million.
The entity chaired by Cerezo could reach the semifinals, which would add another 12 million more. Reaching the final would leave another 15 million in the coffers of the Wanda Metropolitano and win the title, another four million. That is to say, The Champions League is an almost essential economic mana for a club that grows year after year under the protection of its successes and your participation in this competition. Last year Atlético took 85.6 million euros in the Champions League.
The importance of being in the top four is known to Simeone and his staff. Before the break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic The fellowship meals organized by Gil Marín were common, CEO, with the intention of uniting the group of footballers around a common goal. The staff knows what is at stake. The club's budget will drop for the 2020-21 financial year, but it will do so depending on where Atléico is. If you enter in Champions, it will do it in about 100 million, from 500 to 400 million. But if the team does not qualify for this competition, it could drop to just over 300 million.
That would be a big step back for Atlético. And maybe having to sell some important footballer to balance the accounts. There will be a drop in salaries in the squad, as will happen in practically all clubs, but the blow can be fitted if the anthem of the Champions League sounds next season at the rojiblanco stadium. The subject of sponsors is also important. No one escapes that it is not the same to play Champions as Europa League. Or even not playing European competition.
It is also vital for the players' issue to play this competition. Atlético is now one of the most desirable clubs on the continent. Regular in the Champions League, the club can afford the luxury of fighting for the best players against the greats of the continent. João Félix, who was wanted by half of Europe, finally dressed in rojiblanco. It was logical, of course, that Atlético played Champions.
On a social level, running out of Champions is also important. A remarkable part of the 58,000 Atlético subscribers have full subscription, which gives the right to attend the matches of LaLiga, Cup and European tournaments. Without Champions, it will be necessary to see what happens with that total subscription.