AC Milan
Ownership: Elliot Management Corp (US 99.93%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €240.8m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€91.6m) |
| Wage bill | €169.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 70% |
| Net Debt | €101.6m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 44,015 |
Although they are a long way off their 1960s and 1990s peak, AC Milan appear to be on the way back after a miserable decade. Serie A champions in 2021-22 for the first time since 2011, they have also made good progress in transforming their financial position. There could be further gains in the future when the San Siro is either redeveloped or demolished, a project that is still in the negotiation stage.
Maldini, Paolo: Legendary Italian defender who made over 900 appearances for Milan and won 126 caps for Italy. His role at the club is Technical Director. One of Milan’s all-time greats, he was born in June 1968 and is the son of Cesare Maldini, who played for the club in the 1950s and 1960s.
Massara, Frederic: Director of football at AC Milan since June 2019, joining after being released by Roma where he filled a similar role. Born in Turin in November 1968, he had a long playing career, mostly in lower division football in Italy.
Pioli, Stefano: Experienced coach with a CV that includes stints with Inter and Fiorentina, from where he joined Milan in 2019. A big basketball fan who has used some of the strategic elements of the sport in football. An advocate of 4-2-3-1, his first trophy as a manager was the 2021-22 Serie A title with Milan.
Career win rate: 40.55%
AC Milan win rate: 56.62%
Honours: Serie A 2021-22
Scaroni, Paolo: Chairman of AC Milan and an experienced businessman, Scaroni was formerly chief executive of Italian energy company Eni. Born in 1946 in Vicenza, he joined Milan in July 2018 after Elliott Management took over the club. He was also president of Vicenza between 1997 and 1999.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Coppa Italia | F | F | ||||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa | G | R16* | G* | R16* | R16 | R16 |
Ajax Amsterdam
Ownership: Veireniging AFC Ajax 73%, Delta Lloyd 9,95%, Adri Strating 8.65%
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €125m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€11.7m) |
| Wage bill | €94.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 76% |
| Net Debt | €128.9m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 35,527 |
Ajax continue to be the dominant force in the Netherlands, benefiting from their strong culture of player trading. Although their 2019 team that reached the last four of the Champions League has been broken up, Ajax show little sign on losing their reputation as one of the top stepping-stone clubs. In 2021-22, they won the Eredivisie once more and were narrowly beaten in the KNVB Cup Final. They lost their manager, Erik ten Hag, to Manchester United and Alfred Schreuder was appointed as coach for 2022-23.
Eijken, Frank: Current chairman of Ajax.
Schreuder, Alfred: Born in November 1972, Schreuder was hired at the end of 2021-22 after leading Club Brugge to the Belgian league title. His career has included roles at Vitesse Arnhem, Twente, Hoffenheim and Barcelona.
Career win rate: 43.69%
Honours: Belgian First Division 1921-22
Eredivisie 2009-10
KNVB Cup 2010-11
Van der Sar, Edwin: Chief executive of Ajax since 2016, returning to the club he played for at the start of his career as a top goalkeeper. He took up a management role in 2012 at Ajax as marketing director before becoming CEO. Born in October 1970, Van der Sar also played for Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United, making more than 800 appearances. He also won 130 caps for the Netherlands.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Eredivisie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| KNVB Cup | F | W | W | F | ||||||
| UEFA Champions League | SF | F* |
Arsenal FC
Ownership: Stan Kroenke (US 100%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £ 325.7m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£127m) |
| Wage bill | £ 244m |
| Wage to income ratio | 73% |
| Net Debt | £ 199m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 59,776 |
Arsenal’s malaise in the post-Wenger started to lift in 2021-22 although there was no European football for the first time in a quarter of a century. Arsenal sunk close to the Premier League mid-table in 2020-21 and saw the relationship between the club’s owner and fans become very fractious. There was talk of a takeover bid, but Stan Kroenke remains in control of the club. Arsenal were pro-European Super League and have also entered the crypto currency market, but they are no longer considered title contenders in England.
Arteta, Mikel: Manager of Arsenal since December 2019, succeeding Unai Emery. Born in San Sebastian, Spain in March 1982, Arteta played for Arsenal, Everton, Rangers and Real Sociedad, among others. His first foray into management was at Manchester City, as assistant to Pep Guardiola. In his initial season at Arsenal, his team won the 2020 FA Cup, beating Chelsea in the final.
Games in charge: 181 Win rate: 54.2%
Honours: FA Cup 2020
Edu: Arsenal’s Technical Director, responsible for the recruitment and identification of players. Joined in July 2017 from Brazilian club Corinthians. As a player, Edu appeared for Corinthians, Arsenal and Valencia and won 15 caps for Brazil.
Kroenke, Josh: Son of Arsenal owner Stan who joined the board in December 2013. Vice chair of KSE (Kroenke Sports and Entertainment) and also president of National Hockey League club Colorado Rapids.
Kroenke, Stan: Majority shareholder of Arsenal Football Club since 2011 and head of KSE. Also owns or has a stake in: LA Rams (NFL), Colorado Rapids (MLS), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA). Kroenke’s teams have been successful, with two Super Bowl victories, the Stanley Cup and the MLS Cup. Born in Columbia, Missouri in 1947, Kroenke has a net worth of US$ 10.7 billion according to Forbes in 2022.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| FA Cup | W | W | W | W | ||||||
| FL Cup | F | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa* | F* |
Atlético Madrid
Ownership: Atlético Hold Co 65.98%; Idan Ofer 33%.
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 332.8m |
| P&L pre-tax | – |
| Wage bill | € 250m |
| Wage to income ratio | 75% |
| Net Debt | – |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 46,728 |
Atléti won the La Liga title in 2020-21 for the first time since 2014, ending the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Arguably more stable than the big two in Spain, Atléti have had the same manager since 2011 even though they do not enjoy the same level of financial clout. However, the club’s international brand is growing and has a thriving digital presence. They are still active in selling talent into the market and maximising their resources.
Berta, Andrea: Sporting director of Atlético Madrid since 2017. Born in Brescia, Italy in January 1972, Berta oversees player recruitment at the club. He initially joined Atléti as technical director in 2013. and his career has also included spells with Parma and Genoa.
Cerezo, Enrique: President of Atlético Madrid since 2002. Born in 1948 in Madrid, he has made several landmark Spanish language films.
Marin, Migel Ángel Gil: CEO of Atlético Madrid since 1993 and the second son of legendary club president Jesus Gil. Marin was born in Madrid in 1963 and grauated as a Vet. He is also a breeder of horses as well as the club’s main shareholder. He was also mayor of Marbelle between 1991 and 2002.
Simeone, Diego: Atlético Madrid’s coach since December 2011, Simeone has led the club to two La Liga titles, in 2014 and 2021. Born in Buenos Aires in 1970, he won 108 caps for Argentina as a player. His carrer included stints in Spain, Italy and Argentina. Moving into management, he has coached at Estudiantes, River Plate, Racing Club and San Lorenzo, among others.
Atlético Madrid win rate 59%
Career: 55.67%
Honours: La Liga 2014 and 2021
Copa del Rey 2013
Europa League 2012 and 2018.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| La Liga | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Copa del Rey | W | |||||||||
| Europe | W* | F | F |
FC Barcelona
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 591m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€555m) |
| Wage bill | €432m |
| Wage to income ratio | 73% |
| Net Debt | €680m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 53,982 |
With big debts of over € 1 billion, a high wage bill, a drop in revenues, Barcelona are experiencing financial pressure as the impact of the pandemic becomes more evident. The loss of Lionel Messi, largely because the club could not longer afford to keep him, was a big blow for Barcelona and their fans. Although they have ramped-up their digital presence and inaugurated an innovation hub, Barcelona seemed to be in decline, although they staged something of a revival in the second half of the 2021-22 season under Xavi. The club also has a strong commitment to women’s football.
Alemany, Mateu: Director of Football at Barcelona. Born in 1963, Alemany has previous served Valencia, where he was CEO, and Mallorca. A lawyer by trade, he is known for his intense competitiveness.
Cruyff, Jordi: Son the great Johan Cruyff, Jordi is a sports advisor at Barcelona, appointed in 2021. Born in February 1974, he enjoyed a playing career that saw him play for Barca and Manchester United, among others. His coaching career has included spells in Israel, China and Ecuador.
Laporta, Joan: Assumed the office of club president in 2021 for his second stint at the helm of Barcelona. A lawyer by profession, he has been involved in politics for many years and was a member of the Catalan parliament between 2010 and 2012. Born in June 1962 in Barcelona, his first spell as president of the club was richly successful, yielding two UEFA Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles.
Xavi: Legendary player who took over as coach in November 2021 after a successful two years in Qatar as coach of Al Sadd. His playing career was extraordinarily successful, comprising 767 games for Barca and 133 caps for Spain. He won eight league titles, four UEFA Champions Leagues and three Copa del Reys with the club, while his international career included a World Cup winners medal in 2010 and two European Championship triumphs in 2008 and 2012.
Barca managerial win rate 55.3%
Overall managerial career win rate 62.9%
Honours: Qatar Stars League 2021
Qatar Cup 2020, 2021
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| La Liga | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Copa del Rey | W | F | W | W | W | W | F | |||
| UEFA Champions League | W |
FC Bayern Munich
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 643.9m |
| P&L pre-tax | €5m |
| Wage bill | €373m |
| Wage to income ratio | 68% |
| Net Debt | – |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 33,059 |
With 75% of the club owned by fans, the remaining 25% spread among German corporate giants Adidas, Allianz and Audi, Bayern have a strong platform from which to maintain their leadership. Bayern, with very significant commercial revenues and broadcasting income, are way ahead of their German rivals and have dominated the Bundesliga for a decade, winning 10 consecutive league titles.
Hainer, Herbert: Chairman of Bayern Munich’s supervisory board who succeeded Uli Hoeneß. Former CEO of Adidas, his career has also involved a period with Procter & Gamble. Born in July 1954 in Bavaria.
Kahn, Oliver: Born June 1969, Kahn is Chief Executive Officer of Bayern Munich, appointed in June 2021. His return to the club followed a very distinct pattern at Bayern in which former players take up key executive roles. Kahn, a goalkeeper, played over 400 Bundesliga games for Bayern and won 86 caps for Germany, although he is part Latvian.
Nagelsmann, Julian: One of the top young coaches in European football, Nagelsmann was born in July 1987. An undistinguished player, he began his coaching career with Hoffenheim and then moved on to RB Leipzig. A disciple of the gegenpress, Nagelsmann won his first trophy in 2021-22 with Bayern Munich in his first season in charge.
Bayern Munich win rate 70.2%
Career win rate 51.1%
Honours: Bundesliga 2021-22
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Bundesliga | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DFB Pokal | W | W | F | W | W | W | ||||
| UEFA Champions League | QF | QF | W | R16 | SF | QF | SF | SF | SF | W |
Benfica
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €94m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€34m) |
| Wage bill | €97m |
| Wage to income ratio | 103% |
| Net Debt | €101m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 31,956 |
Benfica continue to show their prowess as a player trading club, as witnessed in their sale of Darwin Núñes to Liverpool for a fee close to € 100 million. On the domestic scene, Benfica have fallen behind Porto and Sporting and have finished third in the past two seasons. However, they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, losing to Liverpool.
Braz, Rui Pedro: Benfica’s sporting director. Formerly a sports analyst and commentor and an author.
Costa, Rui: A Portuguese legend as a player, appearing 94 times for his country. Born in March 1972, he enjoyed a fine career, winning the Champions League with AC Milan, but had two spells with Benfica. He took on a number of roles post-playing days with Benfica and in October 2021, was elected president of the club, winning almost 85% of the votes.
Schmidt, Roger: Appointed coach of Benfica in May 2022. Born in Germany in March 1967, he has coached at Red Bull Salzburg, Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen, Beijing Guoan and PSV Eindhoven.
Career win rate: 55.31%
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Primeira Liga | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Taça de Portugal | F | F | W | W | F | |||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa* | F* | F* |
Borussia Dortmund
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 344.5m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€73.2m) |
| Wage bill | €215.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 63% |
| Net Debt | €19.3m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 41,819 |
For so long a player factory for European football, Dortmund sold Jadon Sancho to Manchester United for € 87 million in the summer of 2021, the latest big sale of young talent. But the club made a big loss in 2020-21, feeling the absence of their huge crowds at the Signal Iduna Park during the pandemic. They finished second in the Bundesliga in 2021-22. The club was not among the dozen or so who advocated the European Super League project.
Rauball, Reinhard: President of Borussia Dortmund, his third term at the helm of BVB. Born in December 1946, Rauball is also a politician and a qualified lawyer. His third term at BVB started in 2004, his previous two saw him guide the club out of financial crisis.
Terzić, Edin: Born October 1982, he was appointed coach of BVB in May 2022, succeeding Marco Rose. He rejoined the club in 2020 as caretaker from Turkey’s Besiktas. As caretaker, he led BVB to their 2021 DFB Pokal success. His early coaching career at BVB saw him work under Jürgen Klopp.
Career win rate 62.5%
Honours: DFB Pokal 2020-21
Watzke, Hans-Joachim: A lifetime support of the club, Watzke is Chief Executive Officer of BVB and has filled the role of treasurer. Born June 1959, he founded the safety clothing company Watex. He is also a member of the CDU political party.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Bundesliga | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| DFB Pokal | W | W | F | F | F | |||||
| UEFA Champions League | G | QF | R16 | R16 | G | QF | QF* | R16 | QF | F |
Celtic
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £60.8m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£11.5m) |
| Wage bill | £51.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 85% |
| Net Debt | £15.4m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 53,223 |
Celtic, despite their heritage, massive support and influence, struggle to compete among Europe’s top clubs. But Celtic’s superiority in Scotland is only challenged by Rangers, and story that goes back decades. Celtic regained their league title to make it nine in 10 years, but the club remains on the fringe of the elite, largely due to the huge differential in financial resources.
Bankie, Ian: Chairman of Celtic and also executive chairman of Glenkeir Whiskies. Began his career as a lawyer, but in October 2011, he became chairman of Celtic. Born in 1952, he was a fierce opponent of Scottish independence.
Postecoglou, Ange: Born in Greece in August 1965, but moved to Australia as a youngster. Postecoglou was appointed manager of Celtic in 2021 after a successful career in Australia, Greece and Japan. He has managed, among others, Yokohama Marinos and Brisbane Roar. As a player, he won four caps for Australia.
Celtic win rate: 70%
Career win rate: 51.83%
Honours: Australian title 1998, 2011
J-League 2019
Scottish Premiership 2021-22
Scottish League Cup 2021-22.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premiership | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Scottish FA Cup | W | W | W | W | W | |||||
| Scottish League Cup | W | W | W | W | W | W | ||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa* |
Chelsea
Ownership: Todd Boehly (US), Clearlake Capital (US), Hansjörg Wyss (Swiss), Mark Walter (US).
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £434.9m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£155.9m) |
| Wage bill | £332.9m |
| Wage to income ratio | 77% |
| Net Debt | £13.2m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 36,424 |
After winning the Champions League for the second time, Chelsea’s season was hampered by the sanctions on their owner Roman Abramovich by the UK government, resulting in the club being sold to a consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly. A year earlier, Chelsea were the first club to withdraw from the European Super League. Thomas Tuchel, appointed after Christmas 2020, changed the club’s fortunes and he led them to the European success and two cup finals in 2021-22 as the FIFA Club World Cup which they won. The future of Chelsea is likely to be very different than the past, trophy-laden 18 years.
Boehly, Todd: US businessman who led a consortium to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in May 2022. A multi-facted businessman, Boehly’s grandparents were German Jews who emigrated to the US. Boehly’s successful career has included roles with Credit Suisse First Boston, JH Whitney and Guggenheim Partners. He also owns 20% of the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team and is currently the interim CEO of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Tuchel, Thomas: One of the top football coaches in world football. Born in August 1973, his career has included jobs with Augsburg, Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. Tuchel is renowned for his tactical knowledge and flexibility as well as his penchant for innovative training methods. He is also his own man, never afraid to express an opinion.
Chelsea win rate: 61.29%
Career win rate: 57.06%
Honours: UEFA Champions League 2020-21
FIFA Club World Cup 2021
Ligue 1 2018-19, 2019-20
Coupe de France 2019-20
Coupe de la Ligue 2019-20
DFB Pokal 2016-17
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| FA Cup | F | F | F | W | F | |||||
| EFL Cup | F | F | W | |||||||
| UEFA Champions League | QF | W | R16 | W* | R16 | – | R16 | R16 | SF | W* |
Everton
Ownership: Farhad Moshiri (Iran 94%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £193.1m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£120.9m) |
| Wage bill | £182.6m |
| Wage to income ratio | 95% |
| Net Debt | £308.5m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 38,441 |
Despite having spent considerable sums of money on players in recent years, Everton were almost relegated in 2021-22 and were only reprieved by a late rally, spurred on by passionate support. Frank Lampard was appointed as coach after Rafa Benitez was sacked earlier in the campaign. The club, which is at the start of a new stadium project, has been heavily criticised for its transfer market activity, but the fans have remained loyal to the Everton cause, despite a 27-year wait for a major trophy.
Kenwright, Bill: Chairman of Everton and a board member since 1989. Kenwright, born September 1945, is a theatre and film producer as well as an actor and singer.
Lampard, Frank: Born June 1978 in Romford, Essex, Lampard was appointed at the end of January 2022 as head coach of Everton. He took over from Rafa Benitez. Lampard had an outstanding playing career, starting with West Ham and going on to make over 600 appearances for Chelsea, becoming the club’s record goalscorer with 211 goals. Also made 106 appearances for England and won countless honours with Chelsea. Began his managerial career at Derby in 2018 and joined Chelsea in July 2019, but he lasted around 18 months at his old club, although that included a runners-up spot in the FA Cup final in 2020.
Everton win rate: 38.1%
Career win rate: 46.9%.
Moshiri, Farhad: Born May 1955 in Iran, Moshiri is the majority owner of Everton FC. A long and varied career has seen him work for EY and Deloitte and he was also chairman of Russian mining company, Metalloinvest. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Moshiri has a net worth of £ 1.7 billion.
Thelwell, Kevin: Sporting director at Everton, appointed in February 2022 after the departure of Marcel Brands. Was previously with New York Red Bulls for two years and prior to that, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 16 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| FA Cup | ||||||||||
| EFL Cup | ||||||||||
| UEFA Champions League |
Feyenoord
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €52m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€17.8m) |
| Wage bill | €37.3m |
| Wage to income ratio | 78% |
| Net Debt | +€3m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 29,679 |
Often overlooked as the first Dutch winners of the European Cup back in 1970, Feyenoord evoked memories of their heyday by reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League final in 2021-22, narrowly losing to Roma. Feyenoord last won the Eredivisie in 2017, but they struggle to keep pace with their old rivals, Ajax and PSV Eindhoven. Nevertheless, they enjoy healthy support and will have benefitted from their European run last season.
Arnesen, Frank: Feyenoord’s director of football, born 1956 in Copenhagen, Denmark. An accomplished player with a number of clubs, including Ajax, Valencia, PSV and Anderlecht, Arnesen won 52 caps for Denmark. His post playing days have seen him enjoy considerable success with PSV, Chelsea, Tottenham, Hamburg and Anderlecht. In 2020, he joined Feyenoord.
Slot, Arne: Joined Feyenoord in 2021 as coach after leaving his previous role with AZ Alkmaar a few months earlier. As a player he was a midfielder and played for Zwolle, Breda and Sparta Rotterdam as well as other Dutch clubs.
Feyenoord win rate: 62.96%
Career win rate: 58.93%.
Van Bodegom, Toon: Chairman of Feynoord and an experienced management consultant. Became chairman in 2019.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Eredivisie | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| KNVB Cup | F | W | W | |||||||
| UEFA Champions League | F** |
Inter Milan
Owner: Suning Holdings (China, 68.55%), Lion Rock Capital (China 31.05%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €353.6m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€239.5m) |
| Wage bill | €261.6m |
| Wage to income ratio | 74% |
| Net Debt | €373.6m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 44,999 |
Inter Milan won Serie A for the first time since 2010 in 2021, but financial problems with their major shareholder, Suning, led to the departure of coach Antonio Conte and some key players. Inter have undergone a major rebranding exercise in the past two years, aimed at broadening their footprint around the world and improving their competitiveness in their domestic market. In 2021-22, they relinquished their title, but won the Coppa Italia. The club made a big loss in 2021 and has a high level of debt but is hoping to benefit from the redevelopment of the San Siro stadium.
Asilio, Piero: Inter’s sporting director, responsible for player recruitment and acquisition. Born in June 1972, Asilio’s playing days wer ended by a serious inuury, but he has remained involved in the game. He has fulfilled a number of roles at Inter and was also on the board of Spezia.
Inzaghi, Simone: Appointed coach in 2021 after the departure of Antonio Conte. Inzaghi was previously with Lazio. As a player he appeared three times for Italy and had a long spell with Lazio. Born in Piacenza in April 1976, he is the younger brother of Fillipo Inzaghi. As a coach, he is known for his motivational skills and his preference for 3-5-2.
Inter win rate: 65.38%
Career win rate: 53.39%
Honours: Coppa Italia 2018-19
Coppa Italia 2021-22.
Zhang, Steven: Chairman of Inter and Suning International, the club’s majority shareholder. Born in December 1991 in China, he is the youngest chairman of the club. He is also on the committee of the European Club Association.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 9 |
| Coppa Italia | W | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa | F* |
Juventus
Ownership: Agnelli family (Italy, 100%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €449.9m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€207.8m) |
| Wage bill | €322.9m |
| Wage to income ratio | 72% |
| Net Debt | €207.8m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 23,808 |
The near decade long reign of Juve at the top of Serie A ended in 2020-21, with new coach Andrea Pirlo unable to retain the scudetto. At the end of that season, they lost Cristiano Ronaldo after a three year period in which they failed to get close to winning the Champions League. Off the field, they posted a record € 90 million loss and used shareholder capital to cover the deficit. The club has a high level of debt but continues to broaden its global footprint, notably in Asia.
Agnelli, Andrea: Chairman of Juventus since 2010, continuing the Agnelli family’s dominance of the club. Born in December 1975 in Turin, Agnelli has corporate experience from working at Iveco, Ferrari and Philip Morris. One of European football’s most influential figures, he was involved with the aborted Super League project. From 2012 to 2021, he was also on the board of the European Club Association.
Allegri, Massimiliano: Returned to Juventus in 2021 after leaving the post in 2019. Took Juve to two Champions League finals in 2015 and 2017 in a period that saw the club dominate Italian football. Allegri had a long playing career, playing for many clubs, including Sassuolo, Cagliari and SPAL. He has also managed AC Milan.
Juventus win rate: 55.77% (first spell 70.48%)
Career win rate: 53.93%
Honours: Serie A 2010-11, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19.
Coppa Italia 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18.
Cherubini, Federico: Appointed sporting director in 2021 after the departure of Fabio Paratici. Born 1971 in Foligno, Cherubini has been a behind-the-scenes figure for some years and was involved in the club’s academy.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Coppa Italia | F | W | F | W | W | W | W | |||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa | F | F |
Lazio
Ownership: Claudio Lotito (Italian 66.7%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €147m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€31m) |
| Wage bill | €134m |
| Wage to income ratio | 92% |
| Net Debt | €34m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 24,347 |
Lazio are one of Italian football’s great underachievers having won Serie A just twice in thie history. They are the sixth most popular club in Italy and enjoy strong support in Roma, mostly from the northern part of the city. Unfortunately, their fans have had a reputation for right-wing tendencies. The club’s position in Italy is compromised by its finances, which lag some of their competitors but could be improved by regular Champions League football.
Lotito, Claudio: Majority owner of Lazio (66.7%) and president of the club. Born in May 1957 in Rome, Lotito is an entrepreneur and also owned Salernitana FC but was forced to sell his stake. Lotito has often courted controversy and was banned in 2006 as a result of the Italian football scandal and was also banned for seven months after Lazio breached covid-19 protocols.
Sarri, Maurizio: Coach of Lazio, arriving in 2021 after being let go by Juventus in 2020, despite winning Serie A with the Turin club. Sarri’s teams play attack-minded and exciting football, earning the tags, “Sarri-ball” and “Vertical Tika-Taka” from the media. His long career has seen him coach more than 20 teams, including Chelsea, where he won the Europa League. Born January 1959 in Naples.
Lazio win rate: 43.8%
Career win rate: 47.2%
Honours: UEFA Europa League 2018-19
Serie A 2019-20.
Tare, Igli: Lazio’s sporting director. Born in Albania in July 1973. As a player, he won 68 caps for Albania and played in Germany and Italy, including Lazio.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Coppa Italia | W | F | F | W | ||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa |
Leeds United
Ownership: Aser Group Holdings (Italy, 56%), 49ers Enterprises (USA, 44%).
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £171m |
| P&L pre-tax | £25.9m |
| Wage bill | £108m |
| Wage to income ratio | 63% |
| Net Debt | £25.8m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 36,405 |
Leeds United struggled to replicate the performance of 2020-21, their first season back in the Premier League, in 2021-22, and were in danger of relegation for a long time. They sacked the popular but tactially challenged Marcelo Bielsa, bringing in RB Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch and managed to steer clear of the drop. By the end of the campaign, Leeds had the look of a team in need of rebuilding and some of their better players look set to leave Elland Road.
Marsch, Jesse: Born November 1973 in Wisconsin, Marsch was appointed in early 2022 after coaching RB Leipzig. He had been part of the Red Bull football franchise for some time and has coached Red bull Salzburg and New York Red Bulls.
Leeds United win rate: 33.33%
Career win rate: 51.91%
Honours: Austrian Bundesliga 2019-20, 2020-21
Austrian Cup 2019-20, 2020-21.
Orta, Victor: Leeds United’s director of football. Born in Madrid in 1978, he joined Leeds from Middlesbrough. He has also been involved with Elche, Zenit St-Petersburg, Sevilla and Real Valladolid.
Radrizzani, Andrea: Majority owner of Leeds United, holding 56% of the club’s shares. Born in Italy in September 1974, Radrizzani is the founder of Aser Ventures, an investment company focused on sport and media. He is also founder of Eleven Sports.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 17 | 9+ | 1+ | 3+ | 13+ | 7+ | 13+ | 15+ | 15+ | 13+ |
| FA Cup | R3 | R3 | R3 | R3 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R3 | R3 | R5 |
| EFL Cup | R4 | R2 | R2 | R2 | R4 | QF | R1 | R2 | R3 | QF |
Liverpool
Ownership: Fenway Sports Group (US)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £487.4m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£4.8m) |
| Wage bill | £314.4m |
| Wage to income ratio | 65% |
| Net Debt | £166.7m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 53,027 |
After two seasons of extreme success, Liverpool had a slightly disappointing season in 2021-22, largely due to a small squad and injuries to key players. Off the pitch, the club’s revenues have grown more than any major club in England. The club has received a £ 750 million capital injection from Redbird Capital Partners, representing an 11% stake, allowing the further development of Anfield. Owners Fenway have fended off Middle Eastern interest in the club.
Hogan, Billy: Chief Executive Officer at Liverpool, appointed in September 2020. Previously worked at Fenway and was part of the team that sealed the acquisition of Liverpool. Has been part of the Liverpool structure since then.
Klopp, Jürgen: One of the most charismatic figures in modern football management and already part of Liverpool folklore. Born in Stuttgart in June 1967, he had a modest playing career, but became one of Germany’s most promising coaches. He came to prominence at Mainz and then Borussia Dortmund, where he won two Bundesliga titles and took BVB to the Champions League final. He joined Liverpool in October 2015 and built a team that ranks among the club’s finest. A popular figure in the game, he has left-wing political views and was very anti-Brexit.
Liverpool win rate: 61.4%
Career win rate: 53.8%
Honours: Bundesliga 2010-11, 2011-12
DFB Pokal 2011-12
Premier League 2019-20
FA Cup 2021-22
EFL Cup 2021-22
UEFA Champions League 2018-19.
Ward, Julian: Appointed sporting director at Liverpool in 2021, but has been part of the scene at Anfield since 2012. His considerable experience includes roles with the Portuguese FA as a scout and also as South American coaching strategist with Manchester City. He has also worked for ProZone.
Werner, Tom: Chairman of Liverpool and also the Boston Red Sox, as well as Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Liverpool. Born in April 1950 in New York to a Jewish family, Werner made his name as a television producer. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of US$ 700 million.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| FA Cup | W | |||||||||
| EFL Cup | W | F | ||||||||
| UEFA Champions League | F | W | F | F* |
Manchester City
Ownership: City Financial Group (Abu Dhabi)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £569.8m |
| P&L pre-tax | £5m |
| Wage bill | £354.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 62% |
| Net Debt | £19.6m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 52,739 |
Manchester City are the epitome of the modern corporate football club, backed by vast wealth and capable of acquiring the best players and coaches. Hence, they have dominated the Premier League over the past five years, winning four titles as well as a number of cup competitions. Manchester City are the key element in the City Football Group, which owns or has stakes in 10 clubs around the world. This may be a controversial strategy, but there’s no doubt it has been successful so far. City were part of the European Super League project, but were the first club to withdraw.
Al-Mubarak, Khaldoon: Chairman of Manchester City, born in Abu Dhabi in December 1975. Named among the 100 most powerful Arabs in 2017 and 2018 by Arabian Business. Comes from a family of diplomats, religious and judicious scholars.
Begiristain, Txiki: Manchester City’s director of football and one of the key figures at the club in the acquisition and development of players. Joined the club from Barcelona where he filled a similar role. As a player, he won 22 caps for Spain and played for Barcelona, Deportivo La Coruna and Real Sociedad, among others. Born in 1964 in Olaberria, Spain.
Guardiola, Pep: Ranked as the top football coach in the world, Guardiola has been enormously successful and influential in the game, winning titles wherever he has been employed. His obsessive, meticulous approach has been copied by many, but over-attention to detail has also come at a cost and his inability to win the Champions League at both Bayern Munich and Manchester City has often been blamed on over-thinking the exercise. Guardiola is very much the modern football man and is never afraid to voice his opinion on a broad range of subjects, such as Catalan independence, of which he is a big supporter.
Manchester City win rate: 72.73%
Career win rate: 72.82%
Honours: La Liga 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
Copa del Rey 2008-09, 2011-12
UEFA Champions League 2008-09, 2010-11
Bundesliga 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16
DFB Pokal 2013-14, 2015-16
Premier League 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22
FA Cup 2018-19
EFL Cup 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21.
Mansour, Sheikh: Acquired Manchester City in 2008 and handed ownership and responsibility to the City Football Group and Khaldoon Al-Mubarek. Born in November 1970, he is a politician as well as a member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family. He also fills the role deputy prime minister of Abu Dhabi.
Soriano, Ferran: Chief Executive Officer of Manchester City. Born June 1967 in Barcelona, he is multi-lingual and was previously chairman of Spanair.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| FA Cup | W | F | ||||||||
| EFL Cup | W | W | W | W | W | |||||
| UEFA Champions League | F |
Manchester United
Ownership: Glazer family (US, 70%)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £494.1m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£24m) |
| Wage bill | £322.6m |
| Wage to income ratio | 65% |
| Net Debt | £419.6m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 72,992 |
Manchester United have resembled a club in crisis for the past few years: continual problems around the management of the team, losing competitiveness on the field of play (five years without a trophy) and being overtaken by clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool. United are no longer guaranteed a place in the Champions League and have become a Europa League club. However, United’s financial power still remains and at some point, they will return to the forefront of English football.
Arnold, Richard: Chief Executive Officer of Manchester United, succeeding Ed Woodward in February 2022. Arnold was born in April 1971and began his working life with PwC. He joined Manchester United in 2008 and was instrumental in growing the global brand of the club.
Glazer, Avram and Joel: Co-chairmen of Manchester United and co-owners of Tampa Bay Buccaners. The Glazer’s bought Manchester United between 2003 and 2005, led by Malcolm Glazer, the father of both Avram and Joel. Their family background is Lithuanian-Jewish.
Murtough, John: Football director at Manchester United, whom he joined in 2013 when David Moyes was appointed manager. Murtough has a sports science background and worked at Everton. He has a broad portfolio that extends beyond the traditional role of sporting director.
Ten Hag, Erik: Appointed manager of Manchester United in May 2022, moving from Ajax where he enjoyed considerable success. Ten Hag was born February 1970 in Haaksbergen, Netherlands and was a centre back in his playing days, appearing for Utrecht and Twente and other clubs. He began his coaching career at Go Ahead Eagles and was also coach of Bayern Munich’s second team. He joined Ajax in 2017 and won three league titles with them while developing some of the rich talent emerging from the club’s youth system.
Career win rate: 64.1%
Honours: Eredivisie 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22
KNVB Cup 2018-19, 2020-21.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 6 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| FA Cup | F | W | ||||||||
| EFL Cup | W | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League | F* | W* |
AS Monaco
Ownership: Dmitry Rybdovlev (Russia 67%), House of Grimaldi (33%).
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €63.4m |
| P&L pre-tax | €0 |
| Wage bill | €119m |
| Wage to income ratio | 188% |
| Net Debt | |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 2,738 |
Renowned as a developer of young talent in recent years, Monaco have received more money than any Ligue 1 club in the transfer market over the past decade – € 1 billion – while also spending over € 900 million. Monaco have sought to improve their international reputation by linking-up with new sponsors such as a financial technology company and an online investment platform.
Clement, Philippe: Born in Antwerp, March 1974. Joined the club from Belgian club Brugge in January 2022. Has also coached Genk and Waasland-Beveren. As a player, he won 38 caps for Belgium.
Monaco win rate: 58.3%
Career win rate: 54.9%
Honours: Belgian Pro League 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21.
Mitchell, Paul: Monaco’s sporting director, appointed in June 2020. Born in Stalybridge, England in 1981, Mitchell was previously with RB Leipzig as head of recruitment and development.
Rybdovlev, Dmitry: Russian oligarch who was born in Perm in November 1966. He became majority owner of AS Monaco in 2011. As majority owner of fertiliser company Uralkali, he sold out to three Kremlin-linked Russian oligarchs for over US$ 6 billion. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of US$ 6.7 billion.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Ligue 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1+ |
| Coupe de France | W | W | F | W | W | W | W | |||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa |
Napoli
Ownership: Aurelio De Laurentiis (Italian)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €174.5m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€78m) |
| Wage bill | €112m |
| Wage to income ratio | 64% |
| Net Debt | |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 27,526 |
Napoli may have been impacted by the pandemic, causing them to post a loss and suffer reduced revenues, the club remains one of the most consistent in Italian football. They finished third in Serie A in 2021-22 and have a highly-valued squad. Despite receiving offers to sell the club, the owner remains Aurelio De Laurentiis. Napoli are one of the few Italian clubs that routinely make a profit, although in 2020-21, they generated a loss of around € 78 million.
De Laurentiis, Aurelio: Italian film producer and owner of Napoli. Bought the club in 2004 at a time when they were bankrupt and restored stability and led them back to Serie A. Born in May 1949, De Laurentiis is the son of film producer Luigi De Laurentiis. He has a reputation for being outspoken and can be outrageous with his opinions.
Giuntoli, Christiano: Sporting director at Napoli, joining them in 2015 from Carpi, where he played a part in that club’s rise through Italian football. Born in Florence in February 1972, he played for a number of lower league and amateur clubs.
Spalletti, Luciano: Experienced coach who has managed at nine Italian clubs including Roma and Inter Milan. Joined Napoli in 2021 after two inactive years following his sacking at Inter. His career has also included a spell in Russia with Zenit St. Petersburg.
Napoli win rate: 58.33%
Career win rate: 50.62
Honours: Coppa Italia 2006-07, 2007-08
Russian League 2010, 2011-12
Russian Cup 2009-10.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Coppa Italia | W | W | ||||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa |
Paris Saint-Germain
Ownership: Qatar Sports Investments (Qatar)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €569.7m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€225m) |
| Wage bill | €503.2m |
| Wage to income ratio | 88% |
| Net Debt | €59.2m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 41,318 |
Paris Saint-Germain are one of the most controversial clubs in European football. The club’s ownership by Qatar divides opinion, but represents one of a handful of state-owned football entities in the world. Their financial resources not only outstrip their French competitors, but also much of Europe. However, despite almost total dominance of Ligue 1, PSG are still waiting for that all-important Champions League victory. They currently appear to have an embarrassment of riches, although their reputation as a hire and fire club with regards to team managers often works against stability and continuity.
Al-Khelaiti, Nasser: PSG’s president as well as president of the Qatar Tennis Federation. Born in November 1973 in Qatar, he is also the chairman of the European Club Association. In 2020, he was named the most influential person in the game by France Football magazine.
Campos, Luis: Appointed as football advisor in May 2022, taking over from Leandro. Campos was previous sporting director at Lille and prior to that, filled that same role at Monaco. Born in 1964, his position at PSG includes the origination, recruitment and performance of players.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Ligue 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Coupe de France | W | W | F | W | W | W | W | |||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa | F |
Porto
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €152m |
| P&L pre-tax | €32m |
| Wage bill | €100m |
| Wage to income ratio | 66% |
| Net Debt | €292m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 30,219 |
Porto are one of Europe’s top clubs player-trading clubs and they have produced a number of players that have been sold at healthy profits. Porto have, effectively, overtaken Benfica in recent years and in 2021-22, won the Primeira Liga and Portuguese Cup. The club saw its revenues grow substantially in 2020-21 thanks to € 75 million generated from player sales. Porto also benefitted from reaching the last eight of the UEFA Champions League.
Conceição, Sérgio: Born November 1974 in Coimbra, Conceição played for a number of clubs including Porto, Lazio and Inter Milan. He won 56 caps for Portugal. In 2017, he moved fron Nantes to Porto as coach.
Porto win rate: 71.96%
Career win rate: 58.48%Honours: Primeira Liga 2017-18, 2019-20, 2021-22
Taça de Portugal 2019-20, 2021-22
Gonçalves, Luís: Born 1965, Gonçalves has been sporting director at Porto since 2016.
Pinto da Costa, Jorge Nuno: Born 1937 in Porto, he has been president of Porto since 1982. He has also had a spell as president of the Portuguese Professional Football League. Unfortunately, he was involved in the football corruption scandal, Apito Dourado, and was given a two-year ban, but in 2009, he was declared innocent of all allegations.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Primeira Liga | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Taça de Portugal | W | W | F | F | ||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa |
Rangers
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £47.7m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£24.7m) |
| Wage bill | £47.7m |
| Wage to income ratio | 100% |
| Net Debt | £10.7m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 45,112 |
Rangers have climbed back to the top of Scottish football after a miserable decade in which their financial situation meant they were forcibly relegated to the bottom division. They have been back in the Premiership for six years and won the title in 2021. In 2021-22, they lost their manager, Steven Gerrard, but under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, they won the Scottish Cup and reached the UEFA Europa League final.
Park, Douglas: Chairman of Rangers since March 2020, he has been involved with the club since 2015. Previously with Heart of Midlothian, but left the Edinburgh club in 1988. Park founded Park’s Motor Group when he was just 21.
Van Bronckhorst, Giovanni: Born in Rotterdam in February 1975, he played for Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal and Barcelona, among others, and won 106 caps for the Netherlands. As a manager, he has been employed by Feyenoord, Guangzhou R&F and, since November 2021, Rangers.
Rangers win rate: 68.29%
Career win rate: 59.17%
Honours: Eredivisie 2016-17
KNVB Cup 2015-16, 2017-18
Scottish Cup 2021-22.
Wilson, Ross: Highly-rated sporting director who joined Rangers from Southampton in October 2019, where had been very successful in acquiring and selling players. Born April 1984 in Falkirk, he has also worked for Huddersfield Town, Falkirk and Watford.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premiership | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1+ | 3 | 1x | 1xx |
| Scottish FA Cup | W | F | ||||||||
| Scottish League Cup | F | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa* | F* |
Real Madrid
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 653m |
| P&L pre-tax | €1.7m |
| Wage bill | €371.8m |
| Wage to income ratio | 57% |
| Net Debt | – |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 41,228 |
Arguably the biggest football club in the world, Real Madrid secured their 14th UEFA Champions League when they beat Liverpool in the 2022 final. Furthermore, they retained their La Liga title in Carlo Ancelotti’s first season back at the club after leaving Everton. Real are currently remodelling the Bernabéu stadium but have managed to stay profitable during this project and the pandemic. As advocates of the European Super League, Real tarnished their reputation, but they remain the club every competitor wants to emulate.
Ancelotti, Carlo: One of football’s most successful managers of all time, four times winner of the UEFA Champions League as a coach and league title winner in no less than five different countries. Ancelotti’s laid-back approach allows him to get the best out his players, although his style is a marked contrast to the intense managers elsewhere. His playing career was also successful, winning the Champions League and 26 caps for Italy. Born June 1959, Reggiolo, Italy. Returned to Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 from Everton, he has also managed Chelsea, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid win rate: 69.6%
Career win rate: 58.3%Honours: Serie A 2003.04
Premier League 2009-10
Ligue 1 2012-13
La Liga 2021-22
Bundesliga 2016-17
Coppa Italia 2002-03
FA Cup 2009-10
Copa del Rey 2013-14
UEFA Champions League 2002-03, 2006-07, 2013-14 and 2021-22.
Pérez, Florentino: Born Madrid March 1947, Pérez is one of European football’s most influential figures. In his second spell as president of Real Madrid, returning in 2009 after an earlier term between 2000 and 2006. Also chairman and chief executive officer of civil engineering company Grupo ACS. Forbes reported that his net worth was US$ 1.9 billion.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| La Liga | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Copa del Rey | W | F | ||||||||
| UEFA Champions League | W | W | W | W | W |
AS Roma
Ownership: Friedkin group (86.6%, US)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 196.6m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€184.4m) |
| Wage bill | €169.4m |
| Wage to income ratio | 86% |
| Net Debt | € 302m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 41,929 |
Roma are another of Italy’s under-performers, they have won just three scudettos, the last secured in 2001 and have rarely made an impact in the Champions League. However, they won the inaugural UEFA Conference League in 2021-22, their first European prize since 1961. Roma have the potential to be one of Europe’s top clubs and with José Mourinho as coach, they have a good chance to win more silverware. Now American-owned, they also have the opportunity to broaden their global footprint.
Friedkin, Dan: Chief Executive Officer of the Friedkin Group and president of AS Roma. The Friedkin Group owns 86.6% of the club and is a privately-held consortium of businesses and investments. Friedkin’s interests are varied and he has also been a film director. As of August 2021, his net worth was reported as US$ 4.1 billion. Born 1965, San Diego, California.
Mourinho, José: One of the most talked-about football coaches of his generation, Mourinho has been extremely successful at most of the clubs he has managed. Made his name at Porto and Chelsea and has also coached Benfica, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and arrived at AS Roma in 2021. Born January 1963 in Setúbal.
AS Roma win rate: 52.73%
Career win rate: 63.05%
Honours: Portuguese Primeira Liga 2002-03, 2003-04
Taça de Portugal 2002-03
UEFA Champions League 2003-04, 2010-11
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League 2002-03, 2016-17
Premier League 2004-05, 2005-06, 2014-15
FA Cup 2006-07
EFL Cup 2004-05, 2006-07, 2014-15, 2016-17
Serie A 2008-09, 2009-10
Coppa Italia 2009-10
La Liga 2011-12
Copa del Rey 2010-11
UEFA Conference League 2021-22
Pinto, Tiago: Appointed football director in 2020 after a successful career with Benfica where he was sporting director. Pinto is the son of former Portugal international João Pinto. As a player, Tiago played for Sporting, Braga and also spent time in Turkey.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Serie A | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Coppa Italia | F | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League* | W* |
Sevilla
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | € 170.7m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€39.1m) |
| Wage bill | €133m |
| Wage to income ratio | 78% |
| Net Debt | |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 29,756 |
One of Europe’s most successful clubs, despite living in the shadow of Spain’s big three, Sevilla have finished fourth in La Liga for the past three seasons. In the last 10 years, they have won four Europa League titles and continue to produce players for the transfer market. Sevilla have proved that success can be achieved at a level outside the elite. They have won just one La Liga title – in 1946 – but in the 21st century, they have secured an impressive six European prizes.
Carmona, José Castro: President of Sevilla since December 2013. Born in July 1958, he is a successful businessman in the construction industry. In his term as president, Sevilla have been successful on the pitch and have renovated their iconic Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium.
Lopetegui, Julen: Born August 1966 in Asteasu, Spain. Lopetegui was appointed manager of Sevilla in 2019 after spells with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He has also coached at Porto and Rayo Vallecano. As a player, he was a goalkeeper with a number of clubs, including Rayo Vallecano and played a handful of games for both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Sevilla win rate: 55%
Career win rate: 59.84%
Honours: UEFA Europa League 2019-20.
Monchi (Ramón Rodriguez Verdejo): Sevilla’s sporting director, in his second spell in that role having rejoined the club in 2019. First worked in that position in 2000 but left Sevilla briefly to join AS Roma. In his role, he is responsible for the youth system and scouting and he has discovered a broad range of players for Sevilla, including Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves, Ivan Rakitic and José Antonio Reyes.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| La Liga | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Copa del Rey | F | F | ||||||||
| UEFA Europa League | W | W | W | W |
Sporting Clube de Portugal
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | €57m |
| P&L pre-tax | (€34m) |
| Wage bill | €62m |
| Wage to income ratio | 109% |
| Net Debt | €146m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 25,158 |
Sporting lost the league title they won in 2021, but they still kept Lisbon rivals Benfica in third place in 2022.
The club has a reputation for developing young players and adopting a shrewd approach in the transfer market. Moreover, Sporting are one of the top four clubs that provide a “stepping stone” for players to the leading five leagues in Europe. In 2020-21, they reached the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, which should provide a significant financial boost in their next accounts, especially as their total income in 2020-21 was just € 57 million.
Amorim, Rúben: Born January 1985 in Lisbon. As a player, appeared for Belenenses and Benfica, among others and was called by Portugal 14 times. Joined Sporting as coach in 2019 from Braga. A good communicator, he is renowned as a pragmatic coach with deep tactical knowledge and flexibility.
Sporting win rate: 73.15%
Career win rate: 73.48%
Honours: Primeira Liga 2020-21
Taça da Liga 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22.
Varandes, Frederico: Former military doctor who took over as president of Sporting in 2018. Born in September 1979 in Lisbon, he was formerly with Setúbal. Has a reputation for constantly changing coaches, which has led to some criticism, but recent success has endorsed his strategy.
Viana, Hugo: Sporting’s football director, responsible for transfers and contracts. A former player who appeared for Sporting, Newcastle United, Valencia and Braga and others. Capped 29 times by Portugal. Born January 1983 in Portugal, he was previously with Belenenses as director of football.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Primeira Liga | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Taça de Portugal | W | F | W | |||||||
| UEFA Champions League/Europa |
Tottenham Hotspur
Ownership: ENIC International (85.55%, UK)
| Key figures | 2020-21 |
| Turnover | £360.4m |
| P&L pre-tax | (£80.2m) |
| Wage bill | £204.9m |
| Wage to income ratio | 57% |
| Net Debt | £706.3m |
| Average Attendance 2021-22 | 56,523 |
Tottenham Hotspur produced a strong finale to the 2021-22 season to return to the UEFA Champions League, edging out local rivals Arsenal. But despite this impressive display under coach Antonio Conte, Tottenham are still without silverware and last won a major trophy in 2008. In fact, Tottenham have won just three trophies in the Premier League era. The club’s new stadium, arguably the finest in Europe, has yet to yield the hoped-for financial benefits, but the potential is there to make Spurs one of Europe’s elite clubs.
Conte, Antonio: One of Europe’s leading coaches with an impressive track record wherever he has been employed. Occasionally controversial throughout his career, Conte took over at Spurs in November 2021. A skilled motivator of players and a natural leader, his playing career saw him turn out for Lecce and Juventus and he was a member of Italy’s 1994 World Cup finalists. As a coach, he has been with Juventus, Chelsea, Italy, Inter Milan among others.
Tottenham win rate: 58.33%
Career win rate: 58.74%
Honours: Serie A 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2020-21
Premier League: 2016-17
FA Cup 2017-18.
Levy, Daniel: Born February 1962, Essex, England. Son of a retailer and a Cambridge graduate, Levy has a 29.4% stake in ENIC, the owner of Tottenham. He joined the board in 2000 and was named Chairman a year later.
Paratici, Fabio: Managing director of football at Tottenham, whom he joined in 2021. Born July 1972 in Italy, Paratici was previously with Juventus. As a player he was with no fewer than a dozen clubs in a 15-year career.
| 10 year record | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Premier League | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| FA Cup | ||||||||||
| EFL Cup | F | |||||||||
| UEFA Champions League | F |
GAME OF THE PEOPLE 