Do state clubs have such an economic advantage? Real Madrid is the third most expensive squad in the world

Real Madrid achieved this past Wednesday a historic qualification for the Champions League final. Historical not because of the fact of reaching the final, but because of the way in which it was achieved and, furthermore, against the most economically powerful teams on the European scene, such as Paris Saint Germain, in the round of 16, Chelsea, in quarters, and Manchester City, in the semifinals. Three clubs that have the money for punishment and that have not stopped spending hundreds of millions of euros year after year for more than a decade.

It is true that all these teams have privileges from UEFA that the rest cannot achieve and that it seems that they have more broad sleeves than their competitors, such as what happened with the salary limit that has generated so much controversy in recent times and that it has never harmed PSG or City. On the other hand, Chelsea was sanctioned without being able to sign, but for irregularities in the signing of minors.

But it is also true that Real Madrid cannot feel so harmed compared to these teams. Why? If we look carefully at the expense they have made in making their squads, we can see that the white team’s is the third most expensive in Europe, even surpassing that of Chelsea. And if we look at the final on May 28, Real Madrid’s squad is almost 100 million more expensive than Liverpool’s.

In total, the white team’s squad has cost 725.4 million euros, according to data obtained from the specialized website transfer market, being the signings of Hazard (115 million euros), Bale (101), Jovic (63) and Militao (50) the most expensive. On the other hand, only two footballers have arrived in the Spanish capital at zero cost, such as Nacho (quarry) and Alaba (end of contract).

Ten million less, with 715.1 million euros, is what it has cost Chelsea to build its current squad. Seven footballers have reached the set blue with a minimum cost of 50 million euros; Lukaku (89 million), Havertz (80), Kepa (80), Pulisic (64), Jorginho (57), Werner (53), Chilwell (50.2); while seven did so at zero cost, such as: Christensen, Chalobah, James, Mount and Hudson-Odoi (quarry) and Sarr and Thiago Silva (end of contract).

On the other hand, the Liverpool squad, Real Madrid’s rival in the final and since the white team does not have a country behind them, has spent 638 million euros, with Van Dijk (84.65), Alisson (62.5 ) and Keita (60) the most expensive. Instead, six footballers of the group red They have arrived for free, without paying a euro per transfer, such as: Arnold, Williams, Jones (quarry) and Adrián, Matip and Milner (end of contract).

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to power

For its part, the second most expensive squad in the world corresponds to that of Paris Saint Germain, with a cost of 836.9 million euros, about 110 million more than that of Real Madrid. Of the Parisian team, with Qatar in the background, the signings of Neymar (222 million), Mbappé (145), Achraf (66.5), Di María (63) or Icardi (50) stand out. Instead, PSG has eight players at zero cost in the form of a transfer, such as Kimpembe, Dagba, Simons (quarry) and Messi, Wijnaldum, Ramos, Donnarumma, Ander Herrera (end of contract).

Finally, the most expensive squad in football is once again that of Manchester City, who with the millions from the UAE have made a disbursement in signings of 994.62 million euros, of which footballers such as Grealish (117.5) stand out. , De Bruyne (76), Dias (68), Mahrez (67.8), Cancelo (65), Laporte (65), Sterling (63.7), Rodrigo (62.7), Mendy (57.5), Stones (55.6), Walker (52.7) and Bernardo Silva (50). Instead, the frame skyblue It only has two players at zero cost, such as Foden and Palmer, both from the academy.