Manchester United are still the richest club in world football, as revenues from the game's top 20 teams heads towards the 2 billion ($5.34 billion) mark this year, a report showed yesterday.
United's income of 171.5 million for the 2003-04 season kept them top of the pile for the eighth year in a row, according to the Football Money League report published by consultants Deloitte.
Spanish giants Real Madrid are second with 156.3 million after halving the gap with United since last year, while Italy's AC Milan are third on 147.2 million.
Chelsea, bought by Russian oil tycoon Roman Abramovich, and Barcelona, the team they face in the Champions League next week, are the biggest movers up the rich list.
Both clubs have jumped six places, with Chelsea rising to fourth on 143.7 million and Barcelona moving to seventh on 112 million.
Juventus slipped to fifth on 142.4 million and English champions Arsenal lie sixth on 115 million.
The remaining top 10 places are filled by Inter Milan (110.3 million), Bayern Munich (110.1) and Liverpool (92.3).
Underpinning the wealth of Europe's top clubs has been the advent of subscription TV over the past 10 years.
Another key source of revenue is the clubs' stadia facilities, including restaurants and conference rooms.
This area is one where the top English clubs are proving so successful that they could fill the top three places in the 2006-07 Money League.
- REUTERS
Soccer: Manchester United lead Money League
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