Deloitte’s annual Money League: Real Madrid still on top, Bayern overtakes United

Manchester United has dropped out of the top three in Deloitte’s football rich list for the first time.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich take the first three slots in Deloitte’s annual Money League showdown which is based on revenues in the 2012-13 season.

Nine-times Champions League winner Real Madrid stay the top-earning club in Europe for the ninth consecutive year, despite a trophy-less season, with revenues of £444.7 million (518.9m euros), breaking a record previously held by English side Manchester United.

They are followed by rivals Barcelona who stand tall with with £413.6 million (482.6m euros), closely contested by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich who had to 17% revenue boost owning to their brilliant performance in Europe last season. Manchester United, on the other hand took the fourth spot with £363.2 million (423.8m euros).

“Whilst Manchester United drop one place in the Money League, a number of the club’s recent commercial deals will boost revenue in 2013-14, so this fall to fourth place may only be temporary,” Austin Houlihan from the Sports Business Group at Deloitte revealed.

“These deals, combined with the impact of the improved three-year Premier League broadcast deals from 2013-14, mean they are likely to get close to the 500m-euro revenue mark in next year’s Money League.”

“Beyond 2013-14, consistent qualification for the Champions League is key in United challenging to regain top spot in the Money League, a position it last held in 2003-04.”

Deloitte Football Money League: Top 10 Clubs.

French champions Paris Saint Germain took fifth spot in the table. The French club’s revenue has almost quadrupled to £341.8 million since 2010-11 and almost doubled in the past year alone – taking it from 10th to fifth place, as pointed out by the Irish Times.

The total combined revenue for the top 20 clubs had a 8 % increment accounting upto 5.4bn euros in total with all the clubs in the top 30 now generating over 100m euros in revenue each.