A heavy blow for Maccabi Tel Aviv: elimination from Europe will cost up to 20 million shekels
The 'Yellows' suffered a severe professional disappointment in the Conference League qualifiers, but the real damage is becoming clear with a massive loss of revenue of tens of millions of shekels that could have been avoided at the last moment.
Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a significant professional and financial blow this evening after being eliminated from the Conference League qualifiers following a 1:1 draw against the Swiss FC Lugano in the second leg. The 'Yellows' lost 3:2 on aggregate, and their European season has now ended in the summer.
Beyond the professional disappointment, the elimination is expected to cost Maccabi Tel Aviv a very significant amount financially. According to an estimate based on UEFA's payment structure, the club is expected to lose direct revenue in the range of 4 to 5 million euros, which is at least 16 to 20 million shekels. This amount does not include additional potential revenue from sponsorships and ranking bonuses.
Maccabi was just one goal away from completing the comeback. In the 58th minute, Lugano was left with ten players after Zanotti was sent off with a second yellow card. 11 minutes later, Elad Madmon drew a penalty, and Dor Peretz scored to put Maccabi ahead 1:0. However, the numerical advantage was not enough.
In the 79th minute, Moncada took advantage of a defensive error, went on a counterattack, and beat goalkeeper Melika with a shot into the top corner. The draw meant that Maccabi needed two more goals to advance, but the 'Yellows' could not find the net again.
The main significance of the elimination is the loss of the opportunity to participate in the league phase of the Conference League. Simply qualifying for this stage grants each team a basic participation bonus of about 3.17 million euros, an amount of about 13 million shekels.
To this, one can add performance bonuses. A win in the league phase is worth about 400,000 euros, while a draw grants about 133,000 euros. Maccabi Tel Aviv also lost the opportunity to accumulate additional revenue from broadcasting rights and components related to the club's ranking in European competitions.
Now, Maccabi Tel Aviv will have to turn its full attention to the Israeli Premier League, as the early exit from Europe leaves behind not only professional questions but also a significant hole in the club's revenue.
