GdS: ‘Champions League treasure’ – the economic motivation for Milan to beat Feyenoord

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SempreMilan

·17 febbraio 2025

GdS: ‘Champions League treasure’ – the economic motivation for Milan to beat Feyenoord

AC Milan were not at their best in the Champions League play-off game against Feyenoord last week, but on Tuesday evening they get another shot at it.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport write this morning, it is not just a question of money, but it is certainly an important factor. By qualifying for the Champions League round of 16, Milan would make up for the mistake made against Dinamo Zagreb and collect €11m in prize money.

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That sum would be added to the €61.3m that had already arrived after the first eight matches split between participation fee, market pool, ten-year ranking and a share relating to the results collected. Then, there are the box office revenues that the club gets, too.

Money isn’t everything, or if you prefer, it’s a consequence of what a comeback would mean for the club. Returning to the round of 16 after the mission was failed last season would be significant and the Rossoneri’s DNA is very much European.

It’s no coincidence that on Friday, in the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada, Sergio Conceiçao asked for a jolt in the form of a double win against Hellas Verona and Feyenoord, to stay in the running for the Champions League spots and perhaps play another Euroderby.

The minimum objective, to be achieved at all costs, is to enter the top four in the league to also participate in the most prestigious European competition in 2025-26, but a run in the current edition is also desired.

Winter investment

The owner Gerry Cardinale will watch tomorrow’s match from the United States with his usual enthusiasm. In recent days he has been in contact with Ibrahimovic and the other directors, keeping updated with day-to-day events.

The Supercoppa Italiana win early last month has not satiated the desire to win for Cardinale. Otherwise, together with his management, he would not have revolutionised the squad with five additions in the January window.

Kyle Walker, Santiago Gimenez, Joao Felix, Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil certify the desire of those in charge to please Conceiçao and to make investments that can be useful not only for the present, but also for the future.

Above all they have had a minimal impact on the budget considering the higher costs between depreciation, loans and salaries, but also the savings on depreciation, salaries and capital gains. The path of self-sustainability – started by Elliott Management – therefore continues.

The pursuit of a second star will have to wait until next season, but, with a trophy already in the cabinet, it would be a success to finish in the Champions League places and make as much progress as possible both in Europe and in the Coppa Italia, with the semi-finals to come.

The desire for silverware

Fans rightly think in terms of trophies won and the dream (the most beautiful of all possible) is to update the number of Champions League trophies hoisted, which currently stands at seven.

For the hierarchy, however, other factors are also important: reaching the round of 16 would in fact confirm the club’s growth trend, which went from 81st place in the UEFA ranking in 2019-20 to 29th position in 2023-24, to the current 20th.

It would make the Diavolo even more fashionable on TVs around the world, because the Champions League is watched everywhere. Much more so than Serie A. In an increasingly global market, Milan-Feyenoord has a value that goes beyond ‘simply’ qualification for the next round.