It’s no longer possible for Real Madrid, Bayern, PSG and Manchester City to all reach the last of the UCL. Missing out isn’t just a sporting failure—it’s a financial hit of at least €10.3m in lost prize money, not to mention lost commercial revenue.

The instinctive response? Spend more. But in an increasingly unpredictable Champions League, the cost of ensuring deep runs is soaring.

At average spending efficiency, a superclub would need to invest an additional €144m annually in wages and transfer amortization to double their odds of reaching the UCL semifinals from 10% to 20%. The return on that investment? Marginal at best.

For owners and investors, smarter spending has never been more critical. The most sustainable clubs integrate investment with intelligent forecasting and squad planning, continually optimize player development and trading, and explore ways to maximize performance from their outlay.

Competitive advantage isn’t about spending more—it’s about spending better, in the right places. PSG have notably pivoted, relying more on young talent than ever before.

Further perspective can be found in our latest Unofficial Partner podcast discussion and our contributions to Off the Pitch.