Spain's giants top world's rich list

The annual review of football finance by Deloitte shows Madrid topping the list for the seventh straight year with revenue of 480 million euros ($591 million) to the year ending June 30, an increase of nine per cent on the previous 12 months.

English champion Manchester United was again in third place with 367 million euros ($453 million), the highest of four English clubs in the top-10 earners. Germany's Bayern Munich was fourth with 321 million euros  ($396 million), with Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Schalke next.

One more year at the top for Madrid would equal United's No.1 streak from 1997-2004 but the accountancy firm says on-field success could yet push Barcelona into first place next year.

Barcelona trails Madrid by seven points in the Spanish league but its revenue increased 13 per cent to 451 million euros ($556 million) and it could rise further if the team retains the UEFA Champions League title.

Defending Spanish and European champion Barcelona receives about 30 million euros ($37 million) per season in a sponsorship deal from the Qatar Foundation and earned 51 million euros ($63 million) from the Champions League, beating United 3-1 in last season's final at Wembley Stadium.

It can already count on 3.5 million euros ($4.3 million) towards next year's total after winning FIFA's Club World Cup in December.

"This may allow it to narrow, or even bridge, the gap to Real," Deloitte sports business group partner Dan Jones said. "However, relative on-pitch performance, particularly in the Champions League, may determine next year's top two Money League placings."

United is certain to trail again next season after its early elimination from this season's Champions League, only the second time it has failed to progress from the group stage in 16 seasons.

Tottenham rose above Manchester City to 11th place after its run to the quarter-finals in its debut Champions League campaign, but City could leapfrog its English rival next year after six matches in this season's group stage.

Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Napoli are newcomers in the top 20, replacing Atletico Madrid, Stuttgart and Aston Villa after a season of greater domestic success.

French champion Lille was the only winner of one of Europe's five major leagues - Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France - not to make it into a top 20 entirely composed of European sides.

Deloitte said Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Sao Paulo, with reported revenues of between 70 million euros ($86 million) and 80 million ($99 million), would only make a top-50 list.

The 20 richest clubs based on revenue for the year ending June 30, 2011 (2010 positions in brackets)

1. Real Madrid, Spain, 480 million euro ($A591 million) (1)
2. Barcelona, Spain, 451 million euro ($A556 million) (2)
3. Manchester United, England, 367 million euro ($A453 million) (3)
4. Bayern Munich, Germany, 321 million euro ($A396 million) (4)
5. Arsenal, England, 251 million euro ($A310 million) (5)
6. Chelsea, England, 250 million euro ($A308 million) (6)
7. AC Milan, Italy, 235 million euro ($A290 million) (10)
8. Inter Milan, Italy, 211 million euro ($A261 million) (9)
9. Liverpool, England, 203 million euro ($A251 million) (8)
10. Schalke, Germany, 202 million euro ($A250 million) (16)
11. Tottenham, England, 181 million euro ($A223 million) (12)
12. Manchester City, England, 170 million euro ($A209 million) (21)
13. Juventus, Italy, 154 million euro ($A190 million) (10)
14. Marseille, France, 150 million euro ($A186 million) (15)
15. AS Roma, Italy, 144 million euro ($A177 million) (18)
16. Borussia Dortmund, Germany, 139 million euro ($A171 million) (-)
17. Lyon, France, 133 million euro ($A164 million) (14)
18. Hamburg, Germany, 129 million euro ($A159 million) (13)
19. Valencia, Spain, 117 million euro ($A144 million) (-)
20. Napoli, Italy, 115 million ($A142 million) (-).