FC Bayern Munchen News

In line with FFP regulations Uefa has carried out an audit of all 237 clubs competing in this season’s Champions League and Europa League with the Gunners topping one category

Arsenal are top of a Uefa benchmarking report in terms of tangible fixed assets with the governing body valuing the club’s long-term assets at over €500 million.

Uefa carried out an audit of all 237 clubs competing in this season’s Champions League and Europa League for its report in line with Financial Fair Play regulations.

The 237 clubs in total were estimated to hold €4.9bn worth of long-term assets but over half of the clubs competing in Europe this season still play in municipally-owned stadiums.

The benefits of stadium ownership are plainly spelt out in the report with those clubs who own their stadiums better prepared for the implications of FFP.

“Of the 23 participating clubs from 11 different countries with fixed assets of €50m+, nearly all own their stadium (20),” Uefa’s report stated.

Only 21 per cent of the clubs assessed own their stadium with Arsenal’s spectacular Emirates Stadium seeing them lead the way in this category.

UCL/UEL RANK	UEFA RANK	CLUB	COUNTRY	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
1	1	Arsenal	England	€500m+
2	2	Real Madrid	Spain
3	3	Man United	England
4	4	Valencia	Spain
5	5	Bayern Munich	Germany
6	6	Manchester City	England
7	7	FC Dnipro	Ukraine
8	8	Tottenham	England
9	9	Chelsea	England	€200m+
10	10	Borussia Dortmund	Germany	€100m+

“Long term investment diversifies the sources of club revenue,” Uefa stated. “Clubs owning their own stadium generated 23% and 11% of their total revenue from gate receipts and commercial activites compared to just 14% and 7% for those clubs who rent/lease their stadium.”

Perhaps surprisingly given their recent stadium wrangles, Valencia are ranked in the second band of teams in the €200m+ tangible fixed assets category. They sit alongside usual suspects Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Tottenham. Also among the surprise clubs in that band are Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

Elsewhere in the report, Real Madrid dwarf their competitors in terms of revenue with the Spanish giants out on their own with €500m+ reported.

The 237 clubs assessed make up 57% of the €14.1bn revenue total in all of Europe’s top divisions. These clubs returned a total of €8.1bn worth of revenue with net losses across the board reduced from €1.7bn to €1.1bn. Sixty-two % of clubs audited reported a rise in revenue with the average rise clocking in at 9.9 per cent.

Sporting Braga, Standard Liege and Partizan top the percentages in terms of money pocketed from transfer streams. Net earnings from transfer activity accounts for over 60% of each club’s revenue.

In terms of cash value, AC Milan, Udinese and Tottenham all banked over €30m from transfers during the 2012 financial year.

The benchmarking report was compiled with data sourced from all 237 clubs in anticipation of a full report later in 2013.

Michel Platini, the president of Uefa, is confident that clubs are finally being brought into line with regard to their fiscal responsibility.

“I am pleased to report that after some difficult years there are some encouraging signs that club owners are taking their responsibilities seriously with the first improvement in club profitability reported for many years as the final requirements of FFP enter into force,” he said.

The attacker’s representative has laughed off suggestions that a meeting took place with the Spanish champions over a proposed move to Camp Nou

Thomas Muller’s agent, Ludwig Kogl, has insisted that the Bayern Munich star has not held transfer talks with Barcelona.

A recent Punto Pelota report suggested that the Germany international travelled to the Catalan capital at the weekend to meet with Blaugrana representatives, but the 24-year-old’s representative has stressed that there’s no truth in the rumour.

“Thomas was definitely not in Barcelona on Sunday,” Kogl told AZ.

“There’s no truth in this. There have not been any talks with Barcelona and we have not negotiated with them.”

Muller is a product of the Bayern youth academy and has developed into a key player at the Bundesliga champions since making his first team debut in 2008-09.

The attacker’s current deal with the Bavarians runs until June 2017.

The former Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen coach believes the Germany international is destined to become one of the best in the world

Christoph Daum is confident that Bayern Munich forward Mario Gotze will reach the same level as Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the coming years.

The Germany international is regarded as one of the biggest talents in Europe, but he has so far been unable to make an impact at the Allianz Arena, primarily because of injury.

Nevertheless, Daum has little doubt that Gotze will eventually prove a big success with the Champions League holders.

“Mario has extraordinary abilities. He will become another Messi. Bayern wouldn’t have spent as much money on him if they didn’t think he’d become a great player,” the former Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen coach told Sport1.

“This is a transitional year for Mario. He has not reached the top step-by-step, but has developed incredibly fast in recent years. His progress has halted a bit now due to injury, but that’s only normal.

“It’s all about adapting this year and I can guarantee that next season will be his big break-through.”

Gotze has made just three Bundesliga appearances so far this term.

Goal takes a look at every continental league, where more than six but fewer than 13 games have been played, to find the most miserly backlines of the season so far

ANALYSIS
By Joe Wright

Italy has long been synonymous with the art of defending so perhaps it is no surprise to learn that Serie A outfit Roma currently share top spot in our Top 10 of the meanest defences in Europe.

Looking at all of Europe’s top flights in which at least six and no more than 13 rounds of matches have taken place, the Giallorossi are leading the way along with Greek champions Olympiakos. Both sides have conceded just one goal in their first seven league games this season, while they have each put 20 in the opposition net – quite a marker for their respective domestic rivals.

Mauricio Pochettino’s Southampton are the pick of the Premier League, having conceded just three in their first seven games. Much is owed to the form of goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who has begun the season in excellent form, while youngsters Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw continue to impress alongside the more experienced Dejan Lovren.

Bayern Munich left the continent in their wake last season, and their defensive excellence has continued this campaign, with just three goals shipped in their Bundesliga title defence so far. Given the long-term absence of Holger Badstuber in the Bayern back four, as well as the need to move Philipp Lahm into midfield to compensate for Javi Martinez’s injury, such a record is particularly commendable, and the praise currently being aimed at Dante and Rafinha in particular is more than merited.

Luxembourg’s Fola Esch share the same record as the European champions, having kept six clean sheets in the league to date – a big improvement since their 6-0 aggregate defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League qualifiers. Cukaricki of the Serbian Super Liga boast the exact same record of three goals conceded, six clean sheets and 0.38 strikes let in on average, with not one coming at home.

Albania’s Partizani Tirania are placed one position lower by virtue of having played two fewer games, but given that only nine goals have been scored at either end in their six games to date, the Selman Stermasi stadium seems a safe haven for defenders this season. They sit one place above Standard Liege, who have managed an impressive seven clean sheets in their 10 games so far in Belgium’s Pro League, with just four goals conceded.

Lille have been the most miserly in France this season, shutting out seven sides in their early Ligue 1 encounters and letting in just four goals, while Georgia’s Torpedo Kutaisi prop up our top 10 with just four goals conceded in eight matches.

A notable omission from our list is La Liga, with not one representative from Spain boasting a strong enough defence to make the top 10. Leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have each conceded six goals in their opening eight games so far, but since they have won each of those encounters, neither Gerardo Martino nor Diego Simeone will be unduly concerned at present – especially with the Blaugrana set to welcome back Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano soon after the international break.

Interestingly, the Bundesliga boast the worst overall defensive record out of the leagues featured in our top 10, with an average of 3.30 goals conceded in each of the 72 games in 2013-14. Serie A matches have allowed 2.97 goals on average to date this season, while Ligue 1 and the Premier League sit much further down on 2.32 and 2.31 respectively. The Albanian Superliga lead the way for defences, with just two goals per game on average being scored.

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Bayern Munich will look to go about extending their lead at the top of the Bundesliga when they host out-of-form Mainz on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s men come into the clash having dropped points for only the second time this season against Bayer Leverkusen before the international break.

They remain unbeaten in the league while Saturday’s opponents have seen their form nosedive since winning their first three Bundesliga games.

The international break was a mixed blessing for Bayern, with a number of players qualifying for the World Cup while also breaking personal records, although it also presented Guardiola with injury problems too.

Bastian Schweinsteiger collected his 100th international cap as Germany finished Group C unbeaten, while Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben were on target for France and the Netherlands respectively on Tuesday.

Mario Gotze, who scored for Germany against Sweden, could make his first start for the club since the 1-1 draw with Freiburg in August, although Xherdan Shaqiri faces six weeks on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury with Switzerland.

Toni Kroos believes team-mate Gotze is eager to show Bayern what they can expect from him after switching from Borussia Dortmund and hopes he can remain free of injury.

“After a long time he feels fit again,” Kroos told the DFB website.

“For him the injury was difficult, just because he’s at a new club where he wants to show, of course, where he wants to play. I’m happy for him and hope he stays fit now.”

After being the early surprise package, Mainz failed to pick up a point in September with a draw against Hoffenheim last time out ending a five-game losing streak and putting them in 11th place.

While his side have gone five Bundesliga games without a win, Thomas Tuchel was just pleased to end the run of defeats.

“When you lose for so long, that hangs around in terms of points and self-confidence,” Tuchel told the club’s official website after the draw against Hoffenheim. 

“It can take a while before things get back to normal. We’ve finally gotten that monkey off our backs.”

Mainz’s dip in form has, unsurprisingly, coincided with a dry spell in front of goal for leading goalscorer Nicolai Muller who has scored half of his side’s league goals.

While Muller is joint top of the goalscoring charts in Germany, with six, he has scored just twice in Mainz’s last five Bundesliga matches.

Tuchel is likely to need Muller to rediscover his scoring form if his side are to get anything against a Bayern team that have conceded just three league goals all season.

Mainz will be without Julian Koch (shoulder) for the clash, while defensive duo Niko Bungert (knee) and Bo Svensson (Achilles) are returning to fitness.