Arsenal's financial statistics demonstrate why the Champions League is so important

Arsenal have been out of the Champions League for five years, their last sojourn ending in 2017 at the hands of Bayern Munich. A return could not come soon enough given their financial situation.

It's not quite over yet, but Arsenal's return from the international break is in the best shape they've been in for a long time.

A return to the Champions League after a six-year absence is looking increasingly likely.

Since the beginning of December, only Manchester City and Liverpool have beaten Mikel Arteta's side.

The memories of being at the bottom of the Premier League table at the start of the season are quickly receding.

They're three points ahead of Tottenham with a game in hand at the time of writing.

Despite the fact that the two teams still have to play each other in the league, Arsenal's fate is very much in their own hands.

The flakiness on the pitch between both Spurs and sixth-placed Manchester United means that the Gunners will be able to drop more points this season without much consequences.

Champions League qualification will boost Arsenal on and off the pitch.

The Gunners are in UCL spots at the time of writing

If they do return to European football’s elite competition, time could not be more ideal.

The club's financial data for the 2020/21 season was announced at the end of February, and they were not encouraging.

They reported post-tax losses of £107.3 million, the most in its history, with the pandemic accounting for up to £85 million of those losses.

All of this occurred despite the fact that the club had laid off 55 employees, a subject that garnered much fewer headlines than the signing of a flashy new player.

In light of this financial situation, a return to the Champions League would be quite significant.

Qualification for the group stages is worth €15.64 million in itself, with each win worth €2.8 million and each tie worth €930,000.

Reaching the round of sixteen, where Arsenal last competed in the tournament during the 2016/17 season, is worth an additional €9.6 million.

So, assuming two wins and two draws in the group stages, that's £27.5 million, and that's before we factor in four lucrative home matches.

Also, increased commercial revenues as a result of being there in the first place, and the potential for even more.

Reaching the quarter-finals would be worth another €10.6 million, or £8.95 million at current currency rates, plus another home match.

It quickly adds up, and the advantages don't end there.

For the 2024/25 season, UEFA is expected to implement their changes to the competition's structure, which will include a Swiss-style league table.

This will mean more matches – five at home in the 'group stage' rather than three – and likely more financial opportunities.

Arsenal must be in the Champions League to boost their chances of benefiting from the much-criticised coefficient scheme.

This will allow clubs with strong records in Europe over the previous five years to enter if they fail under normal circumstances. Arsenal's standing is currently quite poor.

Then there's the tiny matter of the symbolic significance of returning to this specific competition.

Between 1998 and 2017, Arsenal qualified for the Champions League 19 times in a row, and their absence has been the most conspicuous indicator of the club's deterioration.

Champions League qualification may bring dollar signs to the club's owners' eyes, but the status of being back among Europe's top sides is more important to the fans.

Covid's financial influence has already resulted in something that Arsenal fans haven't seen in a long time: a price increase for season tickets.

Season ticket prices at the Emirates haven't been raised in seven years, but they will rise by 4% for the start of next season.

While it's easy to applaud the club for keeping them at the same level for so long, this is really more of a case of the prices correcting themselves closer to the rest of the market.

Despite the team's drop in league positions over the last few years, the cheapest Arsenal season ticket remains the most costly in the country.

At the very least, the Emirates Stadium will be given a makeover.

For a long time, supporters have been complaining about the lack of wifi, flickering big screens, poor public address systems, and unreliable ticket readers at the entrances.

These enhancements are expected to take place for the rest of the year.