There will be nerves aplenty inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening when Spurs and Arsenal go head-to-head with a place in the Champions League at stake. With three games of the 2021/22 Premier League season to go, the Gunners sit in fourth and have a four-point advantage over their rivals at such a key stage in the campaign.
Three points will be enough to secure a Champions League return for Arsenal for the first time since 2016/17, while victory for Spurs and it will be very much game on going into the final week. A draw, however, and Spurs will need big favours off Newcastle United and Everton when they come up against Mikel Arteta's men in the run-in.
With Arsenal not featuring in the Champions League for five seasons now, Tottenham have missed out on a top-four finish in the past two campaigns. Both teams are absolutely desperate to return to Europe's top table after a spell away, and it's not hard to see why given the money involved.
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As per Twitter user Swiss Ramble, who is an expert in the business of football, the difference between a Champions League finish and a Europa League finish is worth millions to clubs. Given the need to bring in money for big transfers and helping the club reach the next level in general, a Champions League finish is a must.
In terms of UEFA competitions prize money for 2021/22, clubs would earn €15.6m (£13.3m) for participating in the Champions League as opposed to €3.6m (£3.1m) in the Europa League. Although there is no prize money for winning or coming second in the Champions League group stage, the maximum revenue from the groups is €16.8m (£14.3m) as a win is worth €2.8m (£2.3m) compared to £930k (£796k) for a draw.
In the Europa League, maximum revenue from the groups is €4.9m (£4.2m) as wins are worth £630k (£538k) and draws £210k (£179k), with topping the group worth €1.1m (£940k) and coming second €550k (£470k). The huge difference then continues come the knockout phase as a place in the last 16 of the Champions League is worth €9.6m (£8.2m), with the knockout round down as €500k (£427k) and last 16 €1.2m (£1m) in Europe's second club competition.
The difference between the quarter finals is €10.6m (£9m) compared to €1.8m (£1.5m) and semi-finals €12.5m (£10.6m) to €2.8m (£2,3m). The Champions League winner will then receive €20m (£17.1m) and the runner-up €15.5m (£13.2m), whereas the Europa League winner comes out with €8.6m (£7.3m) and the runner-up €4.6m (£3.9m).
In total, the maximum possible amount of money to be earned by winning the Champions League is €85.1m (£72.8m) compared to €23.4m (£20m) in the Europa League. It really is night and day between the two amounts and it's not hard to see why the Champions League is so vital to all teams looking to qualify for the competition.
Tottenham's match against Arsenal will be pivotal in the top-four race and whoever comes out on top come the final day could set themselves for the coming years with the lucrative Champions League money coming their way.
