Following Liverpool's unsuccessful bid for UEFA Champions League next season, striker Mohamed Salah shared his deep-seated disappointment. The club's Champions League hopes were dashed by Manchester United's 4-1 triumph over Chelsea, combined with their own recent draw against Aston Villa.
The draw, terminating Liverpool's seven-match winning spree, puts it beyond the realm of possibility for Jurgen Klopp's squad to clinch a spot in the top four of the league table. Manchester United sits comfortably in third place, six points ahead, and Newcastle, in fourth place, is four points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool with only a single match left.
The setback is particularly harsh for the 2019 Champions League victors, who last missed the qualification to Europe's premier tournament in the 2016/2017 season. Salah promptly turned to social media to express his vexation.
Posting a monochrome picture of himself, he tweeted: "I'm totally devastated. There's absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year's Champions League and we failed...We let you and ourselves down."
Joining United and Newcastle in qualifying for the Champions League are Premier League victors Manchester City and runners-up Arsenal. Despite the defeat, Liverpool aims to lead the Europa League next season, though Salah remains less than enthusiastic.
Monetary Blow to Liverpool Amid Champions League Omission
The Champions League dismissal not only wounds Liverpool's pride but also signifies a severe financial blow. After falling short of the Premier League's top four spots, they stand to lose an estimated £50m in prizes and participation fees. A decline in sponsorship income and ticket sales could exacerbate their losses.
This financial predicament may curtail Liverpool's ability to bolster the squad this summer as they gear up for a renewed start. To climb the Premier League ranks next season, they must strategize their market investments in the upcoming months.
The Sun reports that Liverpool amassed nearly £160m last season, securing second place behind Manchester City. The drop to fifth place this year will slice their portion of the league's broadcast revenue by approximately £6.6 million.
A significant part of the financial loss results from the absence of Champions League football. To illustrate, Liverpool managed to secure €67.7m (£58.9m) from UEFA despite exiting at the top-16 stage of the competition this year.
Qualifying for the group stage next season could have assured a base revenue of €15.6m (£13.5m). Moreover, UEFA disburses about €2.8m (£2.4m) per group stage win and an additional €9.6m (£8.3m) for advancing into the knockout stages.
In contrast, Liverpool's Europa League qualification garners a mere €3.6m (£3.1m) in participation fees, with a significantly lower payout for group stage wins and knockout stage advancement. The stark disparity in financial compensation between the two competitions is undeniable.
Performance-based sponsorship deals are likely to suffer, leading to substantial losses from the club's leading sponsors due to the Champions League disqualification. Coupled with reduced financial resources, the lack of European football could deter potential signings, thus exacerbating Liverpool's predicament.
