Scottish Premiership side Celtic is in line for another "multi-million pound windfall" from its Champions League campaign, according to the Scotland DAILY RECORD. On Tuesday, the club released figures showing its revenue has increased by an "astonishing" 95% to £61.2M ($76.7M), with a pre-tax profit of £18.6M ($23.3M). But now it has emerged the club is "still due a final payment" of €7.15M ($8.96M) from UEFA. The cash is the second half of TV money from Celtic's involvement in Group C alongside Barcelona, Man City and Borussia Mönchengladbach. The final €7.15M is due to be paid to clubs in June and will take Celtic’s European earnings from UEFA to almost £30M ($37.6M) -- "before even taking in to account" the matchday receipts of up to £2.5M ($3.1M) per group stage game (DAILY RECORD, 2/7). In Glasgow, Michael Gannon reported the champagne "has been flowing inside Celtic Park." Meanwhile, "tears are being mopped up in the rest of Scotland’s boardrooms." Corks "were popped at Parkhead after the six-monthly figures were unveiled on Monday night." But it is "a different story for the rest." The gap at the top of the Premiership "might be 27 points" but Celtic is even "further out of sight in the financial standings." Ernst & Young football finance expert Neil Patey described it as "the virtuous upwards circle." In "brass terms Celts are riding the gravy train" and there is "no sign of getting off." Celtic's halfway turnover of £60M ($75.2M) is three times Rangers' revenue over 12 months -- and the club is "running" at a £2.5M loss. Aberdeen’s turnover of £13M ($16.3M) is next on the list with Heart of Midlothian "just behind" with £9M ($11.3M). It was "always going to be tough" to catch Celtic in the short term -- "but now the task is even more ominous to the medium and even long term." Patey: "Celtic’s finances dwarf the rest of Scottish football. They already had revenue far above the rest of the clubs but when you add the Champions League money on to their top line it puts them out of sight. No team in Scotland will be able to touch them" (DAILY RECORD, 2/8).
