Real Madrid claimed the crown, while Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla each added their own league triumphs in other competitions. Betis and Real Sociedad earned Europa League spots, Villarreal moved into the Conference League, and Granada, Levante, and Alavés faced relegation to the second tier. A fresh La Liga season has just finished, bringing with it surprises at the top and several twists near the bottom.
The on‑field drama echoed the financial lines off it. A quick glance at the clubs’ revenue projections mirrors the final standings, with a budget table suggesting how the season would unfold. In many cases, the top nine lined up closely with the on‑pitch order, highlighting the link between spending power and competitive position.
One important caveat stands out. Barcelona posted the highest gross revenue, around 765 million euros, while Real Madrid finished as champions with an estimated 695 million euros in revenue. The gap is partly due to optimistic deals added to Barcelona’s projections, including potential player transfers and the sale of other assets such as Barça Studios. These numbers reveal how strategic planning and market activity influence the league’s financial landscape, even if they do not rewrite what happened on the pitch.
In short, the top‑tier mismatch in revenue did not obscure a clear truth about La Liga this season: the club with the most money often sat higher in the table. Atletico Madrid finished third with an estimated revenue around 400 million euros (data not officially confirmed), while Sevilla occupied fourth with about 226 million. The same quartet of teams that qualified for the Champions League by league performance in the previous season largely held their ground this campaign.
Granada, Cadiz, and Mallorca secured their status while Granada’s late bid nearly slipped away on the final day due to a crucial missed penalty by Jorge Molina.
Beyond the drama, three other clubs secured European football for the next season and preserved their spots in Europe’s top competitions: Betis around 144 million euros, Real Sociedad at 136 million (a figure revised downward later), and Villarreal with 139 million. Athletic Bilbao finished eighth, aligning with the trio in revenue and settling near a similar bracket on the table.
As the season unfolded, the financial gap widened beyond the top eight. After Athletic Bilbao posted 55 points, Valencia stood at 48 points and is estimated to have revenue around 104 million euros. Their financials sit roughly 30 to 40 million euros below the leading clubs. Espanyol, which earned about 80 million in income, faced a tougher finish. Osasuna and Celta Vigo trailed in the budget hierarchy of the top 11 after a choppy finish, posting 70 and 72 million respectively.
Viewed from this angle, the league table shows that power is sensitive to small point differences. The gap between 12th and 18th places was only four points, underscoring how tiny margins can shape outcomes. The middle pack stretched across a budget band from Getafe at 62 million to Elche at 51 million, a spread of just 11 million euros. The final chapters of the season proved that marginal shifts in form or fortune can tilt the financial structure as much as the sporting one.
Relegation battle and stability in promotions
In an unexpected turn, three clubs promoted in the previous season—Espanyol, Mallorca, and Rayo Vallecano—held their top‑flight status. This consecutive achievement, not seen since the 2017/18 campaign, underscored the ongoing challenge of turning promotion into mid‑table security. Of the trio, Mallorca faced real trouble only on the final day, saved by a victory over Osasuna and by Granada’s misstep. The season thus delivered a rare stability for newly promoted sides, even in a year marked by financial churn.
The economic reshaping of the league was clearest in the late‑season shifts. When the curtain fell, notable moves occurred among the perceived powerhouses. Barcelona’s off‑pitch dynamics and Real Madrid’s on‑field dominance demonstrated that money and performance remain closely linked in this league. Without Barcelona in the picture, Levante and Alavés stood out with comparatively modest budgets, salary caps around 34 million euros for the Valencian club and 42 million for the Basque side. Both clubs spent beyond these figures, yet pandemic‑related financial strains limited their growth relative to peers with more favorable operating conditions.
Of course, money alone does not decide a season. A mix of scouting wins, coaching changes, player development, and a bit of luck all play critical roles. Yet the underlying pattern remains clear: financial muscle tends to align with football success, a dynamic that La Liga has again demonstrated. The league’s economics continue to shape outcomes, reinforcing the idea that in football, money wields influence—one that keeps showing up season after season. This basic truth resonates with fans and analysts alike, reminding everyone that the strongest players in this sport are not always the ones on the pitch, but the ones controlling the purse strings and the strategic choices behind the scenes.