23/01/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | JAN 23, 2026

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Real top football rich list Liverpool surge ahead of English rivals in Money League R EAL MADRID stayed top of football’s rich list as Liverpool outstripped their English rivals for the first time, according to Deloitte’s Money League study yesterday. Barcelona climbed back into sec ond place in Deloitte’s table (€975m/RM4.6b) despite delays forc ing them to play the whole season away from the Nou Camp, which is still being redeveloped. winning the Premier League title boosted the Reds’ revenue to €836 mil lion (RM3.9b). Manchester City and Manchester United both slipped down the list. Pep Guardiola’s City fell from sec “It is no coincidence that the clubs in the top half of the ranking are those with the ability to focus on commer cial revenue development, particu larly as domestic broadcast rights plateau,” said Tim Bridge, lead part ner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.

create year-round entertainment destinations.” The first 32-team Club World Cup had an impact, helping lift Bayern into the top three for the first time since 2020/21, while Benfica, in 19th spot on the 20-team list, are the first entrant outside the traditional “big five” leagues of England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France in four years. Arsenal were the highest-earning women’s team for the first time after winning the Champions League. The Gunners, with revenues of €25.6 million (RM122m), edged out London rivals Chelsea and Barcelona. – AFP

ond to sixth after an early exit from the Champions League and a third-placed Premier League finish following four consecutive titles. United dropped behind Arsenal to eighth after missing out on the Champions League and finishing 15th in the Premier League. Together, the 20 top-earning clubs in Europe reported an 11% increase in revenues to €12.4 billion (RM58.8b).

Bayern Munch were third on the list (€861m/RM4b), marginally ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, whose income was boosted by winning the Champions League for the first time. The rest of the top 10 is dominated by Premier League clubs, with Liverpool leading the English contin gent for the first time. An expansion of Anfield plus a return to the Champions League and

Spanish giants Madrid generated nearly €1.2 billion (RM5.7b) in reve nue in the 2024/25 season despite fail ing to win a major trophy. The refurbishment of the club’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium into a multi-purpose venue continues to pay rich dividends – Madrid’s €594 million (RM2.8b) of commercial revenues alone would be enough for a place in the top 10. FIA dismisses engine protest talk in Melbourne FORMULA ONE’S governing body has played down talk of the sport’s new engine rules triggering a protest that overshadows the Australian sea son-opener in March. Media reports have suggested Mercedes and Red Bull, the latter now making their own engine, may be exploiting a “grey area” in the regulations to extract more power than the Ferrari, Honda and Audi units. Manufacturers, engine experts and the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) met yes terday amid increasing chatter about compression ratios and thermal expansion. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single seater director, suggested some of the reporting was overblown and said having a level playing field, and ensuring the rules were equally well understood, was a top priority. “Of course everyone is extremely passionate and competitive and when people are in that state of mind it does create a bit of blindness to maybe other arguments,” he told Reuters at the Autosport Business Exchange conference on Wednesday. “Some people therefore present their points of view as the only truth. Unfortunately, things are never com pletely simple. That’s where we come in to make sure we clarify these things. “I don’t think it’s as huge a topic anyway as currently is being made out in the press.” Tombazis said the meeting would discuss “some technical merits of the topic” and was not any sort of a showdown to reach a solution. Asked if he felt the issue would be defused before Melbourne, he con curred. “I believe we are going to be OK,” he said. “It’s a top priority to make sure we don’t have controversies because we want to go racing and not to be sat in courts and hearings after the first race.” Audi boss Mattia Binotto said at the team’s livery launch on Tuesday that any manufacturer running an engine with a higher compression ratio would have a big advantage. “If it’s real, it is certainly a signifi cant gap in terms of performance and lap time, and that would make a difference when we come to compe tition,” he told reporters at the event in Berlin. – Reuters

“There is a pivotal shift in some club business models with an increased focus on maximising the impact of their brand and their sta dium assets. “The presence of on-site brewer ies, hotels and restaurants is now commonplace and illustrates a stra tegic move to diversify income and

Atletico frustrated in draw at Galatasaray

Atleti’s Marcos Llorente (bottom) challenges Galatasaray’s Baris Yilmaz during yesterday’s CL match at Rams Park, Istanbul. – REUTERSPIC

ATLETICO MADRID’S hopes of earning a Champions League top eight spot at the end of the league phase were diminished by a 1-1 draw at Galatasaray yesterday in their penultimate fixture. Although the point took them provisionally eighth, the three time runners-up may now find it tricky to progress straight to the last 16. Giuliano Simeone’s early goal was the perfect start for his father Diego Simeone’s team, but Marcos Llorente’s own goal left honours even in Istanbul. The Spain international made amends with a vital late intercep tion which saved his team falling to defeat. “First, we wait to see the results – (finishing in the top eight) no longer depends only on us,” coach Simeone told reporters. “Based on the results, we will manage what does depend on us.” Simeone said his team needed to become sharper in front of goal, but admitted it was a close affair. “(They) could have won with that last one that Marcos saved,” he continued. “I think we played a great game – we could have won it, but clinical finishing is key, and

hopefully, we can regain that form.” Visitors Atletico dampened a lively atmosphere with their fourth-minute goal, nodded home by Giuliano from Matteo Ruggeri’s cross. Turkish side Galatasaray pulled level after 20 minutes when Llorente bundled Roland Sallai’s cross into his own net as he tried to cut it out, denying his goal keeper Jan Oblak a clean sheet on his 100th Champions League appearance. Atletico coach Simeone replaced Alexander Sorloth with French veteran Antoine Griezmann, keeping Julian Alvarez on the pitch despite his recent poor form in front of goal. The Argentina international has scored just once in his last 10 matches, but put in a more lively showing against Galatasaray than in some other recent appearances. The draw was not overly satis fying for the Turkish outfit, away at Manchester City in their final group match next week where they will aim to qualify for the playoff round. Atletico host Bodo/Glimt and still have a chance of sealing a top eight league phase spot, even if a win in Istanbul would have been far more useful. – AFP

SHORTS

Osimhen and Akor Adams. After the final whistle a scuffle broke out between both sets of players and staff. The FAF said the fines included charges for fans attempting to invade the pitch and displaying

time at the end of 90 minutes. After the Senegal players returned to the pitch, Morocco missed the spot kick and Pape Gueye then won the trophy with a superb strike four minutes into extra time. Earlier, the Senegal players rode atop a bus emblazoned with the words “African champions” along Dakar’s corniche towards the presidential palace. The bonuses of US$134,892.09 (RM544,762) for each of the squad’s 28 players total US$3.7 million (RM15m). The players will also receive 1,500 square metre plots of land. In addition, Faye said members of Senegal’s football federation would receive US$89,605 (RM361,873) and 1,000 square-metre plots, while members of the Senegalese delegation to Morocco would receive US$35,842 (RM144,748) and 500 square-metre plots. He said sports ministry staff would receive US$546,594 (RM2.2m) in bonuses.

Algeria’s Zidane, Belghali banned ALGERIAN PLAYERS Luca Zidane and Rafik Belghali have been banned for two and four matches respectively for their part in ugly scenes following a quarterfinal defeat to Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations. The news was announced on Wednesday by the Algerian football federation (FAF), which was fined US$100,000 (RM403,850) for security lapses and improper conduct by players, officials and supporters. Goalkeeper Zidane and defender Belghali will serve their suspensions during qualifying for the 2027 tournament. The FAF said it was lodging an appeal to challenge the sanctions. Algeria were denied a penalty with the game locked at 0-0 before they eventually lost 2-0 to Nigeria thanks to second-half goals by Victor

bank notes towards match officials. Senegal to get bonuses, land for Afcon win

SENEGAL’S PRESIDENT Bassirou Diomaye Faye has offered bonuses as well as plots of coastal land to each member of the country’s football team following their victory in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco. He spoke at a ceremony in the capital Dakar on Wednesday during which thousands of jubilant supporters took to the streets to welcome the victorious Lions of Teranga home. Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time, having staged a walk-off after they had a penalty awarded against them deep in stoppage