Sports

Real Madrid Remain Europe’s Most Valuable Club -Report

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2022

Real Madrid remain Europe’s most valuable football club despite the ever-increasing dominance of the English Premier League, according to a report published Thursday by analysts Football Benchmark.

The report ranks Europe’s 32 most prominent clubs, calculating their value based on their annual financial statements and assessing squad values.

Real, who face Liverpool in Saturday’s Champions League final, came out on top for the fourth consecutive year of the report, with a valuation of 3.184 billion euros ($3.4 billion).

That is still short of their valuation in 2020, just before the pandemic, of nearly 3.5 billion euros, although the report points out that they were one of few clubs to register a net profit in both seasons impacted by the pandemic.

“Real Madrid have extended their lead at the top due to continuous sporting and commercial success,” says the report’s author, Andrea Sartori.

It said Real lost 84 million euros due to the absence of matchday revenues with supporters shut out due to the pandemic.

However, Real “made the made the most of the restrictions…accelerating works on the Bernabeu. It will be ready at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023 and will certainly give them a massive revenue boost and potentially a competitive advantage”.

Manchester United (2.9 billion euros) and Barcelona (2.8 billion euros) rounded out the podium, with Bayern Munich fourth and Liverpool fifth (2.556 billion euros).

Of the 32 most valuable clubs, only four (Ajax, Galatasaray, Porto and Benfica) are from outwith the big five European leagues of England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

Ten of the top 32 are English, at a time when Premier League sides are dominating in Europe.

“What is pushing English clubs towards increased continental glory is their success on the financial side,” the report acknowledges.

“The Premier League’s aggregate operating revenues of 5.1 billion euros put them comfortably at the top,” while “what really sets them apart are highly remunerative broadcasting agreements”.

Paris Saint-Germain boast the highest overall growth in value over the seven years since the first Football Benchmark report, up 153 percent to now more than two billion euros.

Above all, the report added, football is showing signs that the downturn caused by Covid is over.

“Last year’s financial results still bear the negative impacts of COVID-19, while the past several months reflect solid signs of football returning to normal, most notably with crowds back in stadia and with continued robust demand from sponsors and investors.”

AFP/PUNCH

Sports

Enabulele Hails Edo-born Athletes’ International Feats

Published

17 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has expressed delight over the outstanding performance of Edo athletes representing Nigeria on the international stage.

Enabulele, while describing the athletes as worthy ambassadors of the state and the country in general, singled out the impressive participation of seven Edo kickboxing athletes in Team Nigeria at the African Union Kickboxing Championship in Cameroon.

In a congratulatory message signed by his media aide, Edoko Wilson Edoko, Enabulele lauded the accomplishments of Flora Ugwunwa and Christopher Michael, who clinched gold medals at the 2025 World Para Athletics (WPA) Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia.

INFO DAILY reports that Ugwunwa bagged gold in the F54 women’s shot put and discus events, while Michael emerged victorious in the T11 men’s 100m event.

He said: “The remarkable performance of the country’s para-athletes in Tunisia, where Nigeria finished second overall out of 42 participating nations with 10 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze medals, is highly commendable.”

The Edo sports boss, while recalling the impressive performance of Team Edo during the recently concluded National Sports Festival (Ogun 2024), where Edo kickboxers secured 20 gold medals, said the feat which earned many of them national call-ups.

Enabulele reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to grassroots sports development and consistent support for para-athletes and other promising talents who continue to bring pride to Edo State and Nigeria.

“I’m proud of our athletes. Flora, Christopher, and our kickboxing team have done exceptionally well. This is what we want to see—Edo athletes in large numbers representing Nigeria at global events,” he emphasized.

Enabulele added that the achievements of Edo athletes reflect the deliberate investments in sports development by the current administration.

Sports

Full List: Maresca No Longer Needs Nine Players At Chelsea

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2025

Editor

Chelsea are preparing for another major squad overhaul this summer, with as many as nine players set to leave Stamford Bridge.

New manager Enzo Maresca is keen to trim the squad further, targeting players who no longer fit into his long-term plans.

According to BBC Sport, the Italian tactician has identified nine players who are now available for transfer.

The players reportedly on the exit list include Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic, Armando Broja, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu.

Sterling and Félix were both omitted from Chelsea’s squad for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Sterling, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal, struggled to make an impression at the Emirates and failed to secure a permanent move.

Félix, meanwhile, was on loan at AC Milan from January until the end of the campaign, but the Serie A club have reportedly decided against making the deal permanent.

Sports

NPFL: Go For Victory, Enabulele Tasks Bendel Insurance FC

Published

2 days ago

June 18, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has charged Bendel Insurance Football Club to go for victory.

His charge follows the official announcement of the commencement of the 2025/26 season by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board Chairman, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Announcing the commencement in Abuja, Elegbeleye said the season will run from August 22, 2025, to May 24, 2026.

He emphasized that maintaining a stable football calendar is critical to Nigeria’s improved performance in continental tournaments.

Reacting to the announcement, Enabulele commended the NPFL leadership for the consistency in scheduling.

The Edo Sports Commission Boss who spoke through his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, called on players, coaches, and the entire management of Bendel Insurance FC to approach the new season with renewed vigor and a winning mentality.

“We are aware that the league calendar has been stabilized. This means every club must be better prepared. For us at Bendel Insurance, this is a fresh opportunity to compete strongly, win games, and aim for the top. The people of Edo State deserve nothing less,” he said.

Enabulele also pledged continued support for the team’s technical crew and urged the players to maintain discipline, focus, and unity both on and off the pitch, he also appreciated His Excellency, Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for their unwavering commitment and support in elevating the team.