“Juventus on the brink of the abyss: The cost of missing out on the Champions League.”

Juventus on the brink: How much will the absence from the Champions League 2026/27 cost?

The Italian giant Juventus faces a dramatic scenario that could forever shake its European dominance. Following a humiliating 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina in the penultimate round of Serie A, the Bianconeri are at real risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League in the 2026/27 season. This threat is not only sporting but also financial, with losses that could reach astronomical figures.

The current landscape is alarming: while Juventus stumbles, their direct rivals – Napoli, Milan, Roma, and Como – are accumulating crucial victories. Luciano Spalletti sees his team stuck in sixth place, two points behind the fourth position that guarantees access to the Champions League. European survival now hinges on unlikely scenarios, dependent on favorable results from Roma and Como in the final round.

The impact of missing out on the Champions League is not new for Juventus. It is worth recalling that in the 2023/24 season, the Turin club was excluded from the competition due to a 10-point penalty in Serie A and exclusion from UEFA competitions for failing to comply with financial regulations. This was their first absence since the 2012/13 season.

The financial damage was colossal: Juventus recorded a record loss of 199 million euros that season, with revenues dropping by about 78 million compared to the previous year. To provide context, here is the evolution of revenues and losses over the last three years:

– 2022/23: revenues of 438 million €, loss of 124 million €

– 2023/24: revenues of 360 million €, loss of 199 million €

– 2024/25: revenues of 420 million €, loss of 58 million €

Although next season the Bianconeri are guaranteed at least a place in the Europa League, the financial difference between progressing to the Champions League round of 16 and reaching the Europa League semi-finals could be around 55 to 60 million euros, according to information reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport. This gap illustrates the crucial importance of access to European football’s premier competition for the club’s finances.

The absence from the Champions League in 2026/27 will not only be a sporting setback, but rather a financial tsunami that could further jeopardize the club’s stability and recovery plans. Juventus, a giant accustomed to dominating, is now at a historic crossroads: either they secure qualification on the final matchday or face an uncertain future, with devastating economic and sporting consequences.

Weston McKennie, who has already celebrated important goals in the Champions League, such as in the clash against Galatasaray in 2026, represents the team’s struggle to maintain its European prestige. But the battle is tough and time is running out. Juventus is in free fall and the question everyone is asking is: how much will this crisis really cost? The answer could be a multimillion-dollar bill that the old lady of Italian football will find hard to bear.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.