2011/2012 UEFA Champions League

[Starvinho]

If Arsenal don't get a good result tonight then I think they'll struggle in Italy and get knocked out. 1-0 or 2-0 would be brilliant for Arsenal but I think it'll be 1-1 or even Udinese 2-1.

[Starvinho]

A total of €754.1m was distributed to clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League last season, with the two finalists, FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC, receiving the largest amounts.

A further €13.3m was distributed as solidarity payments to those clubs who were eliminated in the three qualifying rounds, while each of the 20 teams involved in the play-off matches received a fixed amount of €2.1m, irrespective of the result of their ties.

Additional solidarity payments for national associations and leagues to allocate to their clubs who did not participate in the UEFA Champions League totalled €69.9m, and must be used for youth development programmes.

UEFA has announced the sums that the participating teams received for their efforts in the 2010/11 campaign after money generated by the centralised marketing of European football's blue-riband club competition was redistributed among the 32 sides.

Manchester United got €53.197m in payments from UEFA. This comprised more than €27m for their performances from the UEFA Champions League group stage onwards, and another €25.9m from the television market pool.

Barcelona's triumphant run to the title at Wembley in May earned them a total of €51.025m. The Spanish club's performance-related payments amounted to €30.7m and they also collected €20.3m from the TV market pool.

Barça netted €9m for winning the trophy thanks to their 3-1 success over United, who picked up €5.6m as runners-up. The other major earners from the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League were Chelsea FC (€44,523,000), FC Schalke 04 (€39,750,000), Real Madrid CF (€39,288,000), FC Internazionale Milano (€37,982,000), FC Bayern München (€32,562,000) and Tottenham Hotspur FC (€31,133,000).

The €754.1m prize money allotted to the 32 teams who figured from the group stage onwards consisted of €413m in fixed amounts plus €341,100,000 from the market pool.

All the clubs were entitled to a minimum €7.2m in accordance with the distribution system, which awarded a basic participation bonus of €3.9m, plus €3.3m from the six €550,000 match bonuses given per group game.

Additionally, performance bonuses were paid in the group stage: sides received €800,000 for every win and €400,000 for every draw. The 16 clubs that reached the round of 16 were each assigned an additional €3m, the eight quarter-finalists an extra €3.3m, and the four semi-finalists – including Real Madrid and Schalke – a bonus of €4.2m.

Monies from the market pool were distributed according to the proportional value of the national TV market each individual team represented, among other factors, so the amounts given varied from country (or national association) to country.

The full financial distribution from the 2010/11 group stage onwards can be found here.

Cha-Ching!!

Edited August 16, 2011 by Starvinho

[Starvinho]

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs, Song, Ramsey, Walcott, Rosicky, Gervinho, Chamakh. Subs: Fabianski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Djourou, Arshavin, Jenkinson, Frimpong, Bendtner.

Udinese: Handanovic, Ekstrand, Benatia, Larangeira, Neuton, Agyemang-Badu, Isla, Asamoah, Pinzi, Armero, Di Natale. Subs: Belardi, Denis, Vydra, Abdi, Pasquale, Doubai, Fabbrini.

Referee: Kevin Blom (Holland)

[Lineker]

What a revealing interview with Arsene Wenger that was.

"I will spend twenty, thirty pounds on a player. I will ever spend forty pounds if it is the right player!"

Yes Arsene, the club is financially very secure. That's what happens when you never fucking spend anything!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Lovely game so far, very open and free flowing. Nightmare start for Udinese with the goal, but there's goals there for them.

[HailtotheYo]

Wooooooooo great start Raaaaaaamsey !!!!!!!

[Starvinho]

Really good first half, very open and fast paced. Udinese look dangerous though and I think they'll get a goal second half.

[HailtotheYo]

Djourou on for Gibbs ..... Great, here come 3 goals

[Lineker]

Gibbs has apparently picked up a knock on his hamstring.

[Lineker]

Djourou has now also injured his hamstring! Jenkinson replaces him.

[therockbox]

Annoyed Gibbs will probably miss the game against us at the weekend. He's absolute shite, was hoping he'd play.

[HailtotheYo]

Jesus, THANKS FOR NOT BUYING DEFENDERS ASSHOLE

[Lineker]

Clean sheet for Djourou, though

[Matt]

Come on Arsenal/Udinese, score 2 more goals please, I'll be very close to being rich(/less poor) if you do.

Edit: and by Copenhagen I meant Udinese, I've no idea how I got those 2 confused. >_< >_< >_<

[Starvinho]

1-0 FT, excellent result for Arsenal, Walcott should have doubled the advantage at the end though!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Lucky boys, Udinese really should have bagged a goal or two here, only got themselves to blame for their end product. They're good enough to win at home, but I also fancy Arsenal to grab a goal and go through on away goals. Excellent tie though, would much rather see Udinese advance into the group stages.

[HailtotheYo]

Frustrating not to have two ... but holy bell I'm not complaining. Actually pretty impressed with Gervinho and Walcott's interaction but damn do they need consistency. Of course ARSEne will somehow spin this to justify his lack of spending and his "no really we're ok" attitude.

[Lineker]

Arsene Wenger may face further disciplinary action from Uefa after communicating with the Arsenal bench during the 1-0 Champions League play-off first-leg win over Udinese.

The Arsenal boss was in the stands serving a one-match touchline ban and was sending messages to assistant Pat Rice via coach Boro Primorac.

Uefa warned the French manager at the break he was contravening the rules.

Wenger did not attend the post-match news conference later.

Arsenal had checked with Uefa that Wenger, who had been punished for abusing Swiss referee Massimo Busacca in the last-16 defeat to Barcelona last season, could send messages to the coaching staff via another member of the Arsenal camp.

The Gunners were at times outplayed by Udinese, although the only goal of the match was scored by Theo Walcott after four minutes.

The England winger said Arsenal were in a "great position" and t keen to move on from the sale of Cesc Fabregas this week.

"We've just got to carry on," he said. "It's time to move on. He was a great player for the club but he's gone.

"We still have some very talented players in the squad here and we believe we can achieve something this year.

"We're in a great position but it's far from over. We didn't finish it off.

"But we dug in and gave absolutely everything. That's two clean sheets in a row now, and we're capable of winning over there."

Walcott also said he wanted to play a more prominent role in attack.

"It was nice to get the goal. I want to get more goals this season," he added.

"It was a great ball from Aaron Ramsey.

"Hopefully the boss will play me up front now, I don't know. I could have had a couple more but the keeper made some spectacular saves.

"We're going to find it difficult over there but we're very happy with the result."

Defenders Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou [both hamstring] picked up injuries during the match.

[lanky316]

Udinese will be quite happy with that one in the end. Reminded me a lot of Spurs the way they played. Lots of good passing and skill but they just seemd a bit clueless at times when they got to the box, can see the fans frustration at times this season.

Who've Arsenal got likely to be back for the second leg who was missing for this one?

[Starvinho]

Van Persie, maybe Wilshere and Nasri if he decides not to got to City.