Liverpool’s stunning Champions League prize money revealed as three transfer fees recouped

It was a performance that met plenty of Jurgen Klopp's demands after a sobering loss to Leeds United last weekend.

Even if Liverpool had’t have scored two late goals against Napoli, the manager admitted he would have still been pleased with what he saw from his troops.

Yet the 2-0 win against Europe's in-form team, ending the Serie A leaders’ unbeaten record in all competitions this season, should boost the Reds' confidence markedly.

It's been a frustrating campaign for Liverpool so far in the Premier League. They sit just ninth in the table having accrued 16 points from 12 matches and are already out of the title race..

But it’s been starkly contrasting in the Champions League. Victories in the competition are like second nature. It's instinctive for the Reds to have success in Europe, especially during the Klopp era - having claimed the silverware in 2019 and reached two other finals. And not only will the mood have been bolstered in the dressing room after defeating Napoli, but so have the Anfield coffers.

The Champions League is the most lucrative club competition in the world. It's why many people see a top-four finish almost as a trophy in its own right. You only have to look at the prize money Liverpool have earned so far this season. A win against Napoli handed the Reds a windfall of £2.4 million.

Having won five out of six Group A games, it means that Klopp's side earned a cool £12 million. Not only that but having reached the last 16 of the competition, Liverpool are also entitled to an additional £8.26 million.

And for qualifying for the group stage alone, the Reds netted £13.46 million. So after the Napoli win, it took Liverpool’s prize-money revenue for this season - not counting things such as UEFA coefficient payments, broadcast money and match-day ticket and merchandise sales - to a cool £33.66 million.

To put that into perspective, Liverpool have already recouped more than half the initial £64 million fee they paid Benfica for Darwin Nunez in the summer.

Alternatively, the cash splashed out on Fabio Carvalho (£7.7 million from Fulham) and Calvin Ramsay (£6.5 million from Aberdeen), as well as the loan fee the Reds stumped up to sign Arthur Melo from Juventus (£3.9 million), is well and truly covered - and with £15.26 million to spare.