The league phase of the 2024/25 Champions League season is now complete. The current campaign saw the introduction of a new format to Europe’s most prestigious footballing competition. The traditional group stages that the Champions League was so known for have been abandoned in favour of a league table.

This new set-up means that not only are there more teams in the competition, having expanded from 32 to 36, but that they all play eight games instead of six. Though there are still many questions about the new format, particularly as it is still in its infancy, there is a clear benefit for the smaller teams that compete, as it offers them the chance to earn more money on the continent.

With the semi-finals commencing in April, just how much money have all the teams in the Champions League made from the competition so far?

36th-27th

Including Sparta Prague, Bologna and RB Salzburg

It should be relatively unsurprising that many of the teams that, in comparison to the elite, would be considered minnows, are near the bottom of the incomings list. Slovan Bratislava generated the least money of any team in the competition at just under £19 million. They, alongside Strum Graz and Sparta Prague, are the only teams to have made less than £25 million in the Champions League from the league phase.

BSC Young Boys and Girona just about creep over that threshold, but remain 1.5 million pounds behind Red Star Belgrade. Bologna just break the £30 million mark, failing to replicate their domestic success from last season, while Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb have made just over £34 million in the competition. Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Salzburg have earned roughly £1 million and £2 million more than Zagreb respectively, as they round out the bottom 10.

26th-17th

Including Celtic, Brest and AC Milan

Stuttgart and Celtic sit at the bottom of this pile and are followed by Sporting Lisbon, who were beaten by Dortmund in the knockout phase. Micah Richards’ new favourite club, Stade Brestois 29, have endeared themselves to the public and walked away from the competition with £44.52 million.

RB Leipzig, who won just one game from their eight played, crashed out of the league phase having amassed just three points, yet despite that, they earned over £50 million.

Above the German side sit AS Monaco, with the former runners-ups making some healthy income from their run, followed by Club Brugge and AC Milan. Dutch giants Feyenoord and PSV both made it out of the league phase and made £55.67m and £56.07m respectively in their campaigns.

16th-7th

Including Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid

At 16th in the list is Juventus, who just break the £57 million mark with their current earnings from the Champions League. Above them is Atalanta, who rank just behind Benfica. Beyond that, 2023 winners Manchester City fall just outside the top 10 of highest earners, as do Lille and Aston Villa, with the latter impressing on their route to the quarter-finals.

First in the top 10 are Atletico Madrid, who were knocked out by fierce rivals Real Madrid in the last 16. The Spanish side have earned just under £73 million from their ventures, leaving them just behind Bayer Leverkusen, who also departed the competition at the same stage.

Two other European giants just miss out on the top six as Liverpool and Real Madrid find themselves splitting hairs. The Reds just missed out on a perfect record in the league phase, falling short in a defeat to PSV to stop them from winning all eight games. They were favourites to win the competition before being knocked out by PSG in the last 16. Real Madrid went one round further before being well beaten by Arsenal.

6th-1st

Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, PSG

Narrowly missing out on the top five are Borussia Dortmund. Despite underperforming in the Bundesliga, they made it to the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier cup competition this season before being beaten by Barcelona. They are followed by Bayern Munich, who were defeated at the same stage by Inter Milan.

The top four sides have all made over £100m and are made up of the four semi-finalists. In fourth are Barcelona, who are looking to become champions of Europe for the first time since 2015. With the lethal trio of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski in attack, they have a great chance.

Arsenal have been mightility impressive on their run to the last four. In the last 16 they dismantled PSV, and then cruised past holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

In second and first are Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, having earned £101.45m and £102.56m respectively. Inter will face Barcelona for a place in the final, while Arsenal stand in PSG’s way.