It’s Official: Lyon Are Down
What happens when you finish sixth in the top flight but your bank balance tells a different story? In France, apparently, you get relegated.
Lyon, seven-time Ligue 1 champions and a club once synonymous with European nights and domestic dominance, are officially heading to Ligue 2. The French football financial watchdog, DNCG, has confirmed the drop in an official statement after the club failed to meet key financial criteria, even after some last-ditch financial gymnastics.
The Fall: Not About Football, All About Finance
Lyon were already warned. At the last DNCG meeting, they were handed a provisional relegation, with a clear message: fix the finances or face the fall.
And despite a respectable sixth-place finish in Ligue 1, DNCG didn’t blink. The drop is happening.
Financial Levers Pulled, But Not Enough
The Eagle Football Group, owners of OL, tried to pull every financial lever available. John Textor, Lyon’s owner, even sold his stake in Crystal Palace and offloaded the OL women’s team to raise liquidity.
But nope. Still not enough for the DNCG.
“You can see from the contributions of our shareholders, we have invested new capital, not only for the DNCG, but also for our UEFA licensing process. Not to mention the good news of the sale of Crystal Palace. Our liquidity situation has improved considerably,” said Textor, looking remarkably optimistic after the final meeting.
Unfortunately, optimism doesn’t balance ledgers. The DNCG weren’t moved, and the verdict was brutal: Lyon are relegated.
Europa League in Limbo?
This bombshell throws up serious questions. Will Lyon still be allowed to compete in the Europa League next season? Or will their Ligue 2 status invalidate that qualification?
Even murkier is how this decision could ripple across the English Channel. Could it affect Crystal Palace’s European status, given the now-severed ownership ties and the financial mess left behind?
As of now, no answers. Just a lot of raised eyebrows and open UEFA files.
What Next for Les Gones?
For now, Lyon are prepping for life in the French second division—a sentence that would’ve sounded absurd a few months ago.
The DNCG’s final statement was clear and cold:
“Lyon will be made to play their football in the second tier next season.”
No appeals have been confirmed yet, and OL fans across the Rhône region are left wondering how their club went from Europa hopes to a Ligue 2 reality in just a few months.
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