The Billion Euro Game: Glory and Money in the UCL Final

By on June 5, 2015

The Champions League final is, in itself, a fantastic brand. It’s the pinnacle of club football and a crown jewel of European football. It’s also one of the premier sporting events in the world, second only in football to the World Cup.

But this year, it’s more. It’s Xavi’s last game in a Barcelona kit. The match represents two year’s work of Barcelona’s rebuilding following the departure of Pep Guardiola. This a group with Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta we’re talking about and now significantly supplemented by Luis Suarez and Neymar to add dynamics and versatility as well.

For Juventus, the final is almost a decade’s work. Following the Calciopoli scandal, they haven’t once progressed past the Champions League quarterfinals before this season. In fact, since AC Milan lost the 2006/07 Champions League final to Liverpool, in fact, Italy has had precious few successes in Europe, the significant exception being Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning season at Inter in 2009/10.

But for those who stuck with The Old Lady even in Serie B, such as Gianluigi Buffon, it’s perhaps one last chance at European glory. Buffon has won most everything in the beautiful game, from Serie A on six occasions to the old Europa League and of course the World Cup in 2006, but so far the Champions League has alluded his grasp, no matter how large that grasp may be. Given the difficulty of progressing to the final in this tournament, Saturday’s match could be his last realistic shot of winning the title since the club’s heartbreakingly loss to AC Milan on penalties in the 2002/2003 final.

There’s pride and life-fulfilling moments also for millions of fans. And of course, there’s €4 million at stake. With the commercialization of the game, it is now both literally and figuratively “high stakes.” As billioneurofootballgame.com found, the winner gets €10.5 million and the runners-up only €6.5 million.


THE BILLION EURO GAME

Not that some four million matters much for European giants. Barcelona have made around €63.7 million from ticketing sales alone over the course of the competition, with an average ticket going for €117.

On the basis of monetary value, Barcelona have already beaten Juventus. They’ve drawn in an estimated €206.7 million from sponsorships this year, compared to Juve’s €85 million. Barca’s shirt sponsorship — both Juventus and Barca are sponsored by Nike in that area — is estimated to be worth double their Italian opponent’s. Messi is estimated to earn almost fifteen times Buffon from endorsements.

But then again, football’s value comes from so much more than money and that’s part of why it’s universally loved.

It would be an astonishing upset for Juventus, with the bookmakers giving them only 5/1 odds against 8/13 for Barcelona. They’ve had favorable draws throughout their campaign but proved their readiness for the big time when they knocked out reigning champions Real Madrid in the semifinals. In a way, they beat Madrid at their own game on the counterattack.

However, Barcelona pose another problem. Juventus have a historically tight defense but will be missing Giorgio Chiellini due to injury and have only kept a clean sheet once in their last ten matches in all competitions. Massimo Allegri’s side easily won the league, but winning the Champions League will take another level of performance.

A Barca win would seal a famous treble, reclaiming La Liga, while also conquering last season’s league winners in England (Manchester City), France (PSG), Germany (Bayern Munich), and Italy (Juventus) in their march through the tournament’s knockout rounds.

The title, it seems, is in Barcelona’s hands. On their day, nobody came stop them; it all depends on whether they all show up. In the semifinals, Luis Enrique’s side breezed past Bayern Munich and beat Paris Saint-Germain 5-1 on aggregate in the Quarterfinals. Barca are only behind Bayern in goals scored as well as goal differential, and that with unfavorable draws all the way through. If Messi, who will become this season’s top scorer in the competition with a goal, is on his game there’s little doubt over who will emerge the victor tomorrow in Berlin.

 

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.