Madrid beat Man Utd in league

THEY may be the best team in the world on the pitch, but Manchester United must play second fiddle off of it.

Despite increasing revenue by 21% to e325 million in the 2007/08 season, the Premier League champions were outdone again by Spanish club Real Madrid, who retained the title as the world’s richest club with revenues of e366m.

For the first time Manchester City, which was taken over last year by an Abu Dhabi investment group in a deal valued at e222m, made it into the list, clinching 20th spot.

The Deloitte report also notes that the unique nature of the football industry means major clubs will be relatively resistant to the economic downturn.

Match attendances are holding up well and clubs in England, Germany, France and Spain have TV deals secured well into the future at enhanced levels.

“However, the clubs are not complacent and will have to work hard to grow further match-day and commercial revenue streams for 2009/10,” said director in Deliotte’s sports business group, Paul Rawnsley.

The top 20 clubs’ average revenue grew by 6% to a combined e3.9 billion in 2007/08 — more than three times the clubs’ combined revenue in the first money league published in 1996/97.

The report also notes that the English Premier League generates the highest level of broadcast rights value of any football league in the world.

It said if the exchange rate value of the pound had not depreciated, there would have been nine, not seven, English clubs in the top 20 and Manchester United would have topped the league.

Bayern Munich returned to the top five for the first time in five years, climbing three places to fourth above Chelsea, which dropped one spot to 5th.

Partner in the sports business group at Deliotte, Dan Jones said: “Manchester United’s on-pitch success in winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League contributed to significantly increased revenue for 2007/08, although the depreciation of the pound against the euro means they remain in second position.”

The global top 20 contains only European clubs. The analysis is based revenue for the 2007/08 season.

Three clubs missed out on a ranking — Valencia, Celtic and Werder Bremen.