sport news Liverpool to earn £106M if they beat Real Madrid in Champions League as ... trends now

For a golden period in the 1970s and 80s, English football ruled the roost in Europe.

And since claiming seven out of 10 European Cups through the triumphs of Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Aston Villa, England has strived to restore those continental bragging rights.

Now, the country can finally step into a new era of supremacy, say analysts, as the Premier League hammers home its financial advantage, which was enhanced during the Covid pandemic.

UEFA has released figures for the distribution of prize money from last season’s European competitions, which have been published on Twitter by financial analyst Swiss Ramble.

And it is the Premier League clubs who are way out in front, amassing £414 million between seven participating teams.

Leading the way were the Champions League winners, Chelsea, with £105M, followed by runners-up, Manchester City, with £104M, then Liverpool on £77M and Manchester United with £70M.

Clubs from Spain’s La Liga were the Prem’s closest challengers, collectively claiming £351M last year, but German and Italian teams now trail well behind in the wake of their English rivals. While the Premier League claimed more than double the prize money of France’s Ligue One.

Last year’s success was no flash in the pan. English clubs have contested three of the last five Champions League finals, winning two. On two occasions it has been an all-English final.

The domination of the Premier League reflects the number of competitive clubs in its ranks, which tend to go deep into European competition.

As well as the Champions League pay-outs, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Leicester City took home good money from the Europa League. 

However, the value of a top four finish in England is also underlined in the figures, since English clubs on average earned £89M in the Champions League last season, compared to £19M for those in the Europa League.

So, the scene is set for another golden age for English football on the continent, but can it match those heady days when Bob Paisley, Brian Clough and Aston Villa’s Tony Barton masterminded victories over Europe’s elite.

‘Yes, is the answer to that question,’ said Dr Rob Wilson, an expert in football finance at Sheffield Hallam University, told Sportsmail.

‘I would expect English teams to dominate for the next five years if not longer. It is absolutely possible.

‘Both European cups last year [2021] should have been won by English teams. We had three out of four finalist spots.'