Leeds are sitting on a potential £25 million sterling Champions League goldmine following the dramatic and nerve-wracking quarter-final against Deportivo La Coruna.
The staggering sum is what Leeds will pocket this season should they go all the way to the final and lift the trophy in the magnificent San Siro stadium in Milan on May 23rd.
Despite the 2-0 backs-to-the-wall defeat by the Spanish champions last night, Leeds scraped through to the semi-finals courtesy of the magnificent 3-0 first-leg victory at Elland Road. Having already faced Barcelona, Real Madrid and Deportivo this season, Valencia now await manager David O'Leary's side as the club's "remarkable adventure" continues.
It has proved extremely lucrative, with Leeds to bank another £2.3 million in prize money for reaching the last four, to add to the £6.7 million already won after coming through the qualifying round and group stages. There is another £2.7 million on offer for the losing finalists and £4.5 million for the winners, taking the total amount of Champions League money on offer to £13.5 million.
When you take into account gate receipts, television revenue, merchandising and the clauses the club has in their sponsorship deals with Nike and Strongbow, then another £12 million could be added to the kitty.
So far Leeds have taken almost enough to have paid for Rio Ferdinand, who cost a world record sum for a defender of £18 million when he moved to Elland Road from West Ham at the end of November.
Clearly, if O'Leary is to continue building the squad he needs to sustain a season-long challenge to Manchester United in the Premiership, then such money is vital.
Leeds United's players stand to earn in excess of £100,000 each from their European odyssey, but the perks of the job may be scant consolation unless they remember one of football's oldest adages. After all, nobody recalls the losing semi-finalists in any knock-out competition.
If Leeds are to prevail where Arsenal failed by eliminating the Spaniards, the fear of disappointment should be every bit as motivational as the potential for glory.
As O'Leary said yesterday: "To have got this far, having started out in the qualifiers and with all the difficulties that have plagued our season, if we were to go out now it would be heart-breaking."
Writing off Leeds has been a perilous occupation all season but it has become increasingly apparent that there has been a shift in opinion. After being eliminated by Valencia on Tuesday it was noticeable that both Arsene Wenger and Patrick Vieira stated that Leeds should be considered as favourites to reach the final.
