Celtic are clinging on to the 16th and final playoff spot heading into the final matchday, but how much Europa League revenue could they miss out on if they fail to secure a berth?
Celtic’s Europa League ambitions for this season remain delicately poised, as they head into matchday eight knowing a victory would secure a spot in the playoffs.
The Hoops managed to hold fast to rescue an all-important point away in Bologna on the penultimate matchday, with Reo Hatate going from zero-to-hero in the first half after following up his opening goal with a red card.
The prevailing narrative, although no doubt an impressive point in the end, was what could have been for Celtic who raced into a two-goal lead inside 40 minutes.
A victory would have seen them safely into the Europa League playoffs, but instead their fate rests firmly on whether they can get a result against Utrecht.
Everything points towards that happening, with the Dutch side one of three teams to register just a solitary point in the competition so far.
That did come against Liga Portugal leaders Porto, however, and they gave a positive account of themselves in narrow defeats by Nottingham Forest and Real Betis.
With Celtic trailing Hearts by six points back at home, fans are quietly hoping to find solace in a dreamy European run. While plenty of season ambitions rest on this final matchday, so too do Celtic’s financial prospects.
How Much Money Do You Get For the Europa League Round of 16?
Celtic have already collected a handsome payday simply by virtue of being in this year’s competition – £3.7 million to be exact – but Europa League revenue steadily increases as the campaign wears on.
Not only could they potentially give up nearly £5m losing their SPL crown, but failure to make it through to the Europa League round of 16 could mean another financial hit.
£260,000 is up for grabs should they secure a playoff spot, regardless of the result, but win the decider and they are looking at a cool £1.5m for their efforts.
There is also the gate receipts and matchday revenue to consider, which Celtic typically reporting anywhere between £1.5m and £2m per home match.
That means Celtic could potentially miss out on nearly £4m in added revenue if they fail to make it into the playoffs on Thursday.
This extra cash injection could help to finance Celtic’s approach for Kasper Hogh, with the club poised to submit a bid before the window closes at the end of January.
With the club already expected to report naturally lower revenue compared to last year’s Champions League campaign, it could prove a huge loss as they contend with the possibility of conceding their SPL title.
