Lyon relegated to Ligue 2 over finances but French giants will appeal against 'incomprehensible' decision

[ad_1] French giants Lyon have confirmed they are going to enchantment towards the "incomprehensible" determination to relegate them to Ligue 2 after failing to persuade authorities they've resolved their monetary difficulties.

The seven-time French champions have been hit with a provisional relegation again in November after racking up huge money owed, and though they've since offered plenty of first-team gamers, French soccer watchdog the Nationwide Directorate of Administration Management (DNCG) upheld the relegation following conferences on Tuesday.

Lyon are owned by John Textor, and the choice to relegate them comes a day after the American businessman offered his stake in Crystal Palace to New York Jets proprietor Woody Johnson.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-football-john-textor_6948618.jpg?20250623123432" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/384x216/skysports-football-john-textor_6948618.jpg?20250623123432 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-football-john-textor_6948618.jpg?20250623123432 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/1600x900/skysports-football-john-textor_6948618.jpg?20250623123432 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/2048x1152/skysports-football-john-textor_6948618.jpg?20250623123432 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="John Textor pictured at a Botafogo match"/> Picture: Lyon proprietor John Textor has offered his stake in Crystal Palace The implications of this on Lyon's Europa League place and any additional implications for Crystal Palace's place are at the moment unknown.

A verdict on whether or not Lyon meet monetary guidelines from the UEFA Membership Monetary Management Physique (CFCB) remains to be pending.

UEFA didn't remark when contacted by Sky Sports activities Information.

Lyon, who completed sixth in Ligue 1 final season, mentioned in a press release: "Olympique Lyonnais acknowledges the incomprehensible determination handed down by the DNCG this night and confirms that it's going to instantly enchantment.

"Over the previous few months, we've labored intently with the DNCG, assembly all of its calls for with fairness investments in extra of the quantities requested. Because of fairness contributions from our shareholders and the sale of Crystal Palace, our money place has improved considerably, and we've greater than adequate assets for the 2025/26 season.

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"With confirmed funds and sporting success that has earned us a spot in European competitors two years in a row, we sincerely don't perceive how an administrative determination might have relegated such a serious French membership. We'll enchantment to show our skill to supply the mandatory monetary assets to make sure OL's continued presence in Ligue 1."

Textor instructed L'Equipe final week he was assured Lyon's monetary place had been resolved, having mentioned again in November there was "no probability" the membership could be relegated.

After receiving the provisional relegation final yr, Lyon offered the likes of Mentioned Benrahma, Anthony Lopes and Maxence Caqueret in January, and this summer season they've already offered Rayan Cherki to Manchester Metropolis in a £34m deal.

Lyon winger Malick Fofana is a Chelsea goal this summer season after the Blues made an enquiry for the Belgium worldwide.

In the meantime, Sky Sports activities Information has reported Lyon have been keen on signing Nottingham Forest pair Matt Turner and Danilo.

'An enormous earthquake for French soccer - and Textor is guilty' <img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-lyon-olympique-olympique-lyon_6949943.jpg?20250624201707" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/384x216/skysports-lyon-olympique-olympique-lyon_6949943.jpg?20250624201707 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-lyon-olympique-olympique-lyon_6949943.jpg?20250624201707 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/1600x900/skysports-lyon-olympique-olympique-lyon_6949943.jpg?20250624201707 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/2048x1152/skysports-lyon-olympique-olympique-lyon_6949943.jpg?20250624201707 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="TURIN, ITALY - MAY 20: General view of the Olympique Lyon bench at Juventus Stadium on May 20, 2022 in Turin, Italy. FC Barcelona will face "/> Picture: Lyon can enchantment towards the choice to relegate them to Ligue 2 French soccer professional Julien Laurens chatting with Sky Sports activities Information:

"Again in November, they'd been provisionally relegated by the DNCG as a result of on the time they have been in debt of round £200m. The DNCG mentioned, 'If it stays like this, you are going to go down, no matter the place you end within the league. So that you higher kind out your account between now in November and June once you come again to see us.'

"And John Textor was like, 'Sure, don't fret, no downside. We'll promote gamers in January. We'll do the identical earlier than the top of June. We have all these plans in place.'

"In order that they went in fairly optimistic at the moment in Paris to satisfy the DNCG, however this information was an enormous earthquake in French soccer as a result of all of us thought and understood that Lyon could be okay, and truly the plans they put ahead for finding out their monetary points weren't convincing sufficient for the DNCG.

"They may enchantment now, however the factor is, they will not have a lot time between now and the enchantment to place a plan in place that was completely different from the one they offered at the moment.

"They offered Rayan Cherki to Manchester Metropolis - that was a part of the plan. (However) you possibly can't take cash off Botafogo to simply put it on the Lyon account. They have been attempting to place a plan like that collectively, however that did not work.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-man-city-warm-up_6945339.jpg?20250618163428" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/384x216/skysports-man-city-warm-up_6945339.jpg?20250618163428 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-man-city-warm-up_6945339.jpg?20250618163428 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/1600x900/skysports-man-city-warm-up_6945339.jpg?20250618163428 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/2048x1152/skysports-man-city-warm-up_6945339.jpg?20250618163428 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki warms up at the Club World Cup"/> Picture: Lyon offered Rayan Cherki to Man Metropolis this summer season for £34m "Now, I am simply undecided what else they'll do aside from possibly promoting Malick Fofana to an English membership, possibly one other participant or two. However once more, they are going to be actually working towards the clock, and different golf equipment may even know that they want cash in a short time, so they will not be in a robust place when it comes to switch markets and switch charges.

"I am truly fairly anxious now as a result of we have seen previously golf equipment who have been relegated, then appealed, then discover a means with new traders, cash coming in from a method or one other, to remain up. However for Lyon, the clock is ticking massively now.

"It is horrible. Since John Textor took over and purchased the membership from Jean-Michel Aulas, who is that this historic determine in Lyon who took the membership mid-table within the second division within the mid-eighties to seven league titles in a row and the semi-finals of the Champions League, to this now, to being relegated to the second tier in France.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-nemnja-matic-lyon_6935794.jpg?20250606121314" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/384x216/skysports-nemnja-matic-lyon_6935794.jpg?20250606121314 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/768x432/skysports-nemnja-matic-lyon_6935794.jpg?20250606121314 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/1600x900/skysports-nemnja-matic-lyon_6935794.jpg?20250606121314 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/06/2048x1152/skysports-nemnja-matic-lyon_6935794.jpg?20250606121314 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Nemanja Matic"/> Picture: Might Nemanja Matic be taking part in in Ligue 2 subsequent season with Lyon? "John Textor's made this membership a large number. There is not any different means of placing it. He is been one of many worst homeowners, spending cash all over the place, sacking managers, hiring the incorrect managers.

"I simply do not understand how you get out of this. In the event you're Lyon, this can be a horrible place to be in."

Textor sells Palace stake <div class="sdc-article-widget sdc-site-video sdc-article-widget callfn" data-account-id="6057984924001" data-amp-iframe-embed="" data-asset-id="87e16cea-080b-4f70-9698-420c146762c3" data-asset-path="" data-asset-version="" data-autoplay="false" data-auth-config="{"url":"https://api.condatis.sky/auth/video/token","tokenRequired":true,"fetchMethod":"url","fetchOptions":{"encoded":true},"headers":{"X-SkyGDP-Proposition":"sportweb","X-SkyGDP-Territory":"GB","Authorization":"OGY5ZDgxZjRhNzYwNGQ3MTljMjFhMDJlOGVmODRhYzA="}}" data-caption="Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains what Crystal Palace's change of ownership will do for their Europa League prospects" data-clip-type="" data-component-name="sdc-site-video" data-component-name-alias="ui-sitewide-video" data-competition="" data-copy-url-text="URL copied to clipboard" data-fn="sdc-site-video" data-id="id_87e16cea-080b-4f70-9698-420c146762c3" data-is-live-stream="false" data-lite="true" data-options="" data-originator-id="49" data-originator-handle="brightcove-sport-gb" data-package-name="" data-provider="brightcove" data-player-id="DESF5xFjJ" data-playsinline="" data-sensitive="false" data-sdc-id="6948728" data-sdc-video-id="87e16cea-080b-4f70-9698-420c146762c3" data-sport-category="" data-state="loading" data-token-state="none" data-video-ad-unit="videoplayer" data-video-blacklisted-originator-ids="" data-video-id="ref:87e16cea-080b-4f70-9698-420c146762c3" data-video-type="" data-auto-pause-on-not-visible="" tabindex="-1" data-closed-captions-position="" data-show-closed-captions="true" data-show-pip="" data-show-live-stream-scrubber="" data-autoload=""> Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Sky Sports activities Information chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains what Crystal Palace's change of possession will do for his or her Europa League prospects Lyon's demotion comes after Textor's shares in Crystal Palace threatened to be an impediment to the Eagles' participation within the Europa League subsequent season as a result of he owns Lyon, who're set to enter the identical competitors.

Below UEFA's multi-club possession guidelines, it regarded as if Palace might miss out.

Nonetheless, Textor's 43 per cent stake within the London membership has now been offered to Johnson in a deal price greater than £190m and values Palace at greater than £400m.

The sale is topic to Premier League and WSL approval, however could now free Palace as much as play within the Europa League.

The Eagles certified for the competitors because of their FA Cup remaining victory over Manchester Metropolis.

A choice is anticipated inside days that Palace will take their place in Europa League for first time of their historical past with the attract August.

Textor, who by means of his Eagle Soccer Holdings group additionally owns a big stake in Botafogo, who're the present Brazilian and South American champions, initially invested in Palace in 2021.