The Teams Collecting Champions League and Europa League Points at a Premium

One of the report’s most curious revelations is that the most efficient clubs in both competitions are not the household names at the top of the payroll tables.

RICHBORO, PA, UNITED STATES, December 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- With four rounds played and four remaining, both the Champions League and Europa League have reached their halfway point – making it the perfect time to judge not just who is winning, but who is extracting the most of the squads at their disposal. In this week’s Sportingpedia report, we divided each club’s squad market value by its points total to create a value-per-point index. This shows which teams are truly efficient and which giants are struggling to live up to their reputations.

One of the report’s most curious revelations is that the most efficient clubs in both competitions are not the household names at the top of the payroll tables. Sides like Qarabag, Pafos and Brann are extracting maximum results from modest squads – while some of Europe’s best-funded teams remain locked in a battle to translate market value into points on the board. Another striking observation is that the points earned by Qarabag and Pafos in the Champions League are coming at a huge ‘discount’, as the leaders in Europa League post similar indexes.

Key Takeaways:

Qarabag (€3.5m/point, UCL) and Brann (€4.4m/point, UEL) top the efficiency charts, proving that smart management can outperform far wealthier clubs

The least efficient: Villarreal (€280.3m/point, UCL) and Nottingham Forest (€128.9m/point, UEL) have each built expensive squads but delivered minimal returns for their resources

Top sides such as Arsenal, Bayern, Inter, Aston Villa, and Porto are striking a balance between squad investment and on-pitch returns, but none approach the efficiency of this year’s surprise performers

Clubs like Ferencvarosi (€4.6m/point, UEL) and Midtjylland (€6.5m/point, UEL) demonstrate that consistent performance can come from outside Europe’s biggest leagues

Ajax in the Champions League, along with Nice in the Europa League, are the only teams yet to earn a point – leaving them without a value-per-point index

Despite a format shift meant to level the playing field, the most striking stories emerge at the foot of the value-per-point table. Qarabag have secured the Champions League’s most efficient return, posting a value-per-point index of just €3.5 million, with Pafos close behind at €5.3 million. These two sides, operating on shoestring budgets, are outpacing the traditional giants in a competition long viewed as the playground of Europe’s richest clubs. Without star names or blockbuster signings, Qarabag and Pafos have relied on structure, discipline, and capitalising on slim margins to outperform the elite.

Among the established powers, Galatasaray stand out with an index of €33.9 million – the most efficient of the heavyweight contenders. Inter, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich all deliver solid returns with indices of €57.8, €71.5, and €79.3 million respectively, aligning spending with results even if none threaten the most efficient leaders.

Pressure intensifies on the tournament’s giants, where immense squad valuations mean every point is hard-earned and comes at a premium. Real Madrid’s value-per-point sits at €155.6 million, Arsenal at €109.2, Manchester City at €121.0, Chelsea at €162.9, and Barcelona at €158.6, underlining how difficult it is for billion-euro squads to drive their ratio down even with strong results. The challenge is magnified by so many clubs clustered near or above the billion mark, making it almost impossible to match the efficiency of less heralded teams.

Juventus are the clearest example of a superclub struggling to convert investment into output, with a value-per-point of €200.9 million. Only Villarreal has a worse index than Juventus, coming at €280.3 million, but the Yellow Submarine’s stature in the game is far smaller than the Italian side. Even Arsenal and Manchester City, despite strong point totals, lag well behind the competition’s true value-for-output leaders.

Ajax remains the only club yet to record points in this season’s Champions League and that is the reason they are left with no value-per-point indices.

The Europa League’s efficiency race has brought some familiar and not so familiar names to the top of the table. Brann lead the way with a value-per-point index of €4.4 million, followed closely by Ferencvarosi at €4.6 million. Go Ahead Eagles, Midtjylland, and Viktoria Plzen all follow in quick succession, posting indices of €5.2, €6.5, and €6.5 million respectively. These clubs exemplify how organisation, cohesion, and tactical clarity can deliver returns that far outstrip their squad valuations – turning every point into a testament to resourcefulness rather than raw financial muscle.

In the middle of the efficiency pack, Dinamo Zagreb’s €9.6, Young Boys’ €12.1, Basel’s €13.3, and PAOK’s €13.3 million-per-point showcase solid conversion of squad value into points. These sides maintain steady momentum in a competition where margins can shift rapidly but discipline and reliability are consistently rewarded. Yet even among these strong performers, the standards set by Champions League outliers Qarabag remain unmatched, highlighting just how exceptional their efficiency has been.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cost of a point can escalate dramatically. Nottingham Forest currently hold the highest value-per-point in Europa League, with an index of €128.9 million. Major clubs such as Aston Villa, Roma, Stuttgart, Porto, and Lille are all feeling the weight of expectations as their indices climb – placing them under pressure to extract greater returns from their star-studded squads. Meanwhile, Nice and Rangers, both yet to register a single point, remain outside the value-per-point ranking altogether, underlining that even significant market values mean little when results do not follow.

Across Both Tournaments: Discipline Is the Great Equaliser
When results are measured by value-per-point, discipline and clarity consistently bridge the gap between financial might and results. Modest squads collapse the ratio with each recorded point, while just one or two positive results can transform the leaderboard.

The story so far: Qarabag and Pafos have driven the Champions League’s efficiency below anything seen in the Europa League, Galatasaray lead the major clubs for value delivered, and Europe’s richest sides are finding reputation and record spending no guarantee of easy progress. In this format, organization and execution remain the currency of success – and even the most valuable squads must prove they can keep pace.

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