Benfica was forced to exit the Champions League, but despite the elimination, the Lisbon team will still receive a significant amount of 53.1 million euros for its participation in the 2025/26 edition. The team, which faced the powerful Real Madrid in the playoff round for a spot in the Round of 16, was ultimately ousted after a dramatic turnaround in Madrid, where they lost 2-1, resulting in a 3-1 aggregate defeat.
Emotions ran high at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where the shadow of racist incidents during the first leg in Lisbon loomed over the match. Argentine Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making racist insults towards Brazilian Vinícius Júnior, an episode that tainted the spirit of the clash. With this setback, Benfica could not secure its second consecutive appearance in the knockout stage of the European competition, a phase that has been crucial since the introduction of the playoffs.
The financial impact of elimination is significant. Benfica missed the opportunity to earn an additional 11 million euros, the amount corresponding to the qualification bonus for the next stage. However, the 53.1 million euros that the team will receive come from various sources. Initially, the Lisbon club received 18.62 million euros just for their presence in the main stage, after overcoming Nice and Fenerbahçe, the latter coached by José Mourinho, in the qualifying rounds.
The total amount also includes 23.26 million euros from the pillar value, which considers the market volume of the country and the club’s UEFA coefficient. Benfica, positioned 21st in the European ranking, netted 14.96 million euros from the European portion and 8.3 million euros from the non-European portion, based on a coefficient that took into account the last five and ten years.
In terms of performance in the group stage, the team managed to secure three victories, which resulted in €6.3 million, while its ranking in the main phase earned an additional €3.92 million. Benfica also secured €1 million for qualifying for the play-off, which culminated in a victory over Real Madrid.
A comparison with other Portuguese clubs reveals that the €53.1 million from Benfica falls short of the €67.09 million from Sporting, which has already secured a considerable share for its performance in the competition. Sporting, which holds a prominent position in the main phase, will now have the opportunity to face Real Madrid or the Norwegians from Bodo/Glimt in the next phase, with a prize of €12.5 million in case of advancing to the quarter-finals.
As Benfica bids farewell to the competition, the need for reassessment and increased preparation for the upcoming seasons is evident, as fans hope the club returns stronger in the fight for European glory.
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