Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The French giants Lyon confirmed that they would appeal the “incomprehensible” decision to relegate them to Ligue 2 after having failed to convince the authorities that they resolved their financial difficulties.
The seven French champions were struck by a provisional relegation in November after having accumulated massive debts, and although they have since sold a certain number of players from the first team, the French football watchdog The National Directorate for Management Control (DNCG) maintained relegation after meetings on Tuesday.
Lyon belongs to John Textor, And the decision to relegate them one day after The American businessman sold his participation in Crystal Palace to the owner of New York Jets Woody Johnson.
The owner of Lyon, John Textor, sold his participation in Crystal Palace
The implications of this on the Place de la Ligue Europa de Lyon and any other involvement for the place of Crystal Palace are currently unknown.
A verdict on the question of whether Lyon respects the financial rules of the financial control organization of the UEFA Club (CFCB) is still pending.
UEFA did not comment when it is contacted by Sky Sports News.
Lyon, which finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, said in a statement: “Olympique Lyonnais recognizes the incomprehensible decision rendered by the DNCG this evening and confirms that it will appeal immediately.
“In the past few months, we have worked in close collaboration with the DNCG, responding to all its requests with investments in higher shares in the amounts requested. Thanks to the contributions in shares of our shareholders and the sale of Crystal Palace, our cash position has improved considerably and we have more than sufficient resources for the 2025/26 season.
“With proven funds and a sporting success which has earned us a place in European competition two consecutive years, we sincerely understand how an administrative decision could have relegated such a important French club. We will appeal to demonstrate our ability to provide the financial resources necessary to ensure the continuous presence of OL in Ligue 1.”.
Textor told The team Last week, he was convinced that the financial situation of Lyon had been resolved, after having said in November that there was “no chance” that the club was relegated.
After receiving provisional relegation last year, Lyon sold Said Benrahma,, Anthony Lopes And Maxence Caqueret In January, and this summer, they have already sold Rayan Cherki has Manchester City In an offer of 34 million pounds sterling.
Lyon winger Malick Fofana is a Chélat Target this summer after the Blues made an investigation for the Belgian international.
In the meantime, Sky Sports News reported that Lyon had been interested in signing Nottingham Forest pair Matt Turner And Danilo.
“A massive earthquake for French football – and Textor is to blame”
Lyon may appeal the decision to relegate them to Ligue 2
French football expert Julien Laurens addressed Sky Sports News:
“In November, they had been temporarily relegated by the DNCG because at the time they were in debt of around 200 million pounds sterling. The DNCG said:” If it remains like that, you will go down, no matter where you will finish in the League. So, you better sort your account between now in November and June when you come back to see us. “”
“And John Textor was like:” Yes, don’t worry, no problem. We will sell players in January. We will do the same before the end of June. We have all these plans in place. “”
“They therefore became quite optimistic today in Paris to meet the DNCG, but this news was a massive earthquake in French football because we all thought and understand that Lyon would be fine, and in fact the plans they offered to sort their financial problems were not convincing enough for the DNCG.
“They will use now, but the fact is that they will not have much time by the call to set up a different plan from that they presented today.
“They sold Rayan Cherki to Manchester City – who was part of the plan. (But) you cannot withdraw money from Botafogo to put it on the Lyon account. They tried to put a plan like that together, but that didn’t work.
Lyon sold Rayan Cherki to Man City this summer for 34 million pounds sterling
“Now, I just don’t know what they can do apart from perhaps selling Malick Fofana to an English club, perhaps another player or two. But again, they will really run against the stopwatch, and other clubs will also know that they need money very quickly, so they will not be in a powerful position in terms of transfer markets and transfer costs.
“I am actually very worried now because we have seen in the previous clubs which were relegated, then called, then find a means with new investors, money coming in one way or another, to stay standing. But for Lyon, the clock turns massively now.
“It’s terrible. Since John Textor took over and bought the club from Jean-Michel Aulas, which is this historic figure of Lyon who took the club in the middle of the table in the second division in the mid-1970s to seven consecutive league titles and at the semi-finals of the Champions League, now, to be relegated to second place in France.
Could Nemanja Matic play Ligue 2 next season with Lyon?
“John Textor made this club a waste. There is no other way to say it. He was one of the worst owners, spending money everywhere, dismissing managers, hiring bad managers.
“I just don’t know how you get out. If you are Lyon, it’s a terrible position in which to be.”
Textor sells a palace stake
Please use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Kaveh Solhekol, chief journalist of Sky Sports News, explains what the change of property of Crystal Palace will do for their Europa League prospects
Lyon’s demogram comes after the Textor’s shares in Crystal Palace threatened to be an obstacle to Eagles participation in the Europa League next season because he owns Lyon, who should participate in the same competition.
By virtue of UEFA multi-club property rules, it seemed to be missing.
However, the participation of 43% of Textor in the London Club was now sold in Johnson in an agreement worth more than 190 million pounds Sterling and Values Palace to more than 400 million pounds Sterling.
The sale is subject to the Premier League and the approval of the WSL, but can now release the palace to play in the Europa League.
The Eagles qualified for the competition thanks to their final victory for the FA Cup against Manchester City.
A decision is scheduled in the days when Palace will take its place in the Europa League for the first time in its history with the draw in August.
Textor, who, through his group Eagle Football Holdings, also has an important participation in Botafogo, which are the current Brazilian and South American champions, initially invested in the palace in 2021.
