Barca report smaller tax loss than expected
Reuters - Tuesday 26 July 2011, 20:54
MADRID - Barcelona made a smaller loss
than expected last season and are confident of returning to
profit in the 2011/12 campaign after two years of deficits,
vice-president for economic affairs Javier Faus said on Tuesday.
The Spanish and European champions posted a pre-tax loss of
9.3 million euros in the year to the end of
June, less than half the 21.4 million euros expected and down
from 83 million euros in the year-earlier period, Faus said.
Winning the Champions League, the club's new sponsorship
deal with Qatar Foundation, a strong turnout at the Camp Nou
stadium and a surge in visitors to the club's museum had helped
trim the deficit, he added.
"Our obligation is to make a profit from next season and we
will do that," he said. "For the first time in two years we will
present a budget that foresees profit."
In a separate statement on their website, Barca said the sales of players Zlatan
Ibrahimovic, Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Martin Caceres for much less
than they cost had contributed to losses of 44.2 million euros,
without which the club would have posted a pre-tax profit of
33.5 million.
Operating income rose to 473.4 million euros, an increase of
14 percent compared with the 2009-10 season, while costs were up
10.4 percent to 472.6 million euros, made higher by win bonuses
to players following the club's domestic and European successes.
Net debt fell to 363.7 million euros from 430.6 million.