Top 10 clubs in Europe by net debt

#2 SL Benfica, €336 million

SL Benfica are slowly toppling FC Porto as Portugal’s dominant heavyweight both on and off the pitch

The Portuguese heavyweight played second-fiddle to FC Porto for a good part in this century and got plunged in massive debt due to mismanagement at the club. However, the arrival of Jorge Jesus triggered a rise back to the top and the arrival of Rui Vitoria led to a seamless merging of the academy with the first team, saving millions on one hand while making millions from the sales of players such as Andre Gomes and Renato Sanches.

The new TV deal provides €40 million per season for the next decade and with the increased stability both on and off the pitch, the huge debt is slowly but surely coming down for the Portuguese giant as they work to become a European force yet again.