Olympique Lyonnais is going through a bad patch, particularly after its elimination in the Coupe de France by a N3 team. Behind the scenes, the demotion to Ligue 2 as a precautionary measure decided by the DNCG still weighs on Lyon's shoulders. Despite everything, John Textor, the owner of OL, continues to defend its timeshare economic model. And overall the American succeeds in his bets. Botafogo, the Eagle Football club in Brazil, won the championship double – Libertadors, while OL are two points from the Champions League zone in Ligue 1 and well placed in the Europa League before playing Fenerbahçe this Thursday evening .
John Textor says what he thinks. Even if it means annoying part of French football. The evidence just a few days ago in Rothen ignited on RMC, taking PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and even the DNCG to task. The American does not hide in his fights, and in particular against the French financial policeman. John Textor regrets that the DNCG does not understand its multiple ownership model, when for its part it assures that there is no discriminatory treatment against Lyon. On paper, the facts are worrying for the Eagle group: almost 500 million euros in debt at the end of 2024. But the “boss” has no doubts.
General manager of OL for a little over a year, Laurent Prud'homme comes to support: “John's model is that of value creation. It is a responsible situation in the current context. The model which has existed for 40 years is broken, we have seen -60% TV rights John offers his own model, he stands out, that's for sure, his energy and his tone can stand out, but he's a great business leader. a visionary and at the same time a football specialist.”
Botafogo, “les fans adore Textor”
John Textor is shocking and divisive. His detractors were able to compare him to Gérard Lopez, the owner who brought down the Girondins de Bordeaux or even Jack Kachkar, the false buyer of OM in the 2000s. But others have blind confidence in him. Like Laurent Prud'homme then. “He is a president who sets a course, he is the first to believe in it and everyone follows him. When I arrived in December 2023, Lyon was last on the 14th day, with seven points. John ensured that Lyon would run away and go to the European Cup, everyone laughed. He was right.”
In Botafogo, president Durcesio Mello is also raved about his American boss: “The club in 2023 was a disaster. It made no sense. After the Serie A–Libertadores double, the fans love Textor. is a great man. Eagle Football, it's very intelligent His timeshare system, it's the same as Manchester City's, and I imagine him to be even more successful. He understands very well. football, and business, he's a visionary.”
Cash pooling between Botafogo and Lyon
Coué method or not, those close to Textor follow him blindly. And it is clear that the American's predictions are gradually coming true. The transfer window is moving in the right direction, with the departures of Maxence Caqueret to Como (16.5 million euros) and Gift Orban to Hoffenheim (nearly 12 million euros) in particular. The sale of Textor's shares in the English club Crystal Palace is well underway, and the money is also coming in via Brazil. Laurent Prud'homme details the latest cash pooling movements thanks to multi-ownership: “The destiny of OL is linked to the success of Botafogo and vice versa. Each club contributes to and benefits from the efforts of the other. For example, the victory bonus in Libertadores is 23 million euros. It is also 9 million for the championship and the prize money for participation in the next club world cup, 50 million. All this allows Lyon to breathe easier on paper, but it is the DNCG which will validate or not these revenues.
EXCLUDING the debrief of the week: behind the scenes of the shocking Textor interview
Textor wants to “put Lyon back at the top in France”
Today Botafogo is helping OL, but “there is a possibility that it could work the other way”, assures the Lyon general manager. In Brazil, Durcesio Mello knows that Lyon is currently at the center of the Eagle project: “Textor is focused on putting Lyon back at the top in France, to compete with PSG. Thiago Almada is there for example. The competition with Paris will happen.”
-The Carioca president is not worried about his club despite everything. “After our success, everyone imagines that Botafogo will be at the top every year but football doesn't work like that. There are departures of players, Almada and Luiz Henrique for example. We have to face it but others will arrive and we will be even stronger.”
Thiago Almada is indeed further proof of John Textor's persuasive power. Despite the recruitment ban decided by the DNCG, the Lyon president managed to have the Argentinian world champion's contract validated with the Professional Football League.
Some French leaders suspicious or even slanderous towards Textor
At war with the DNCG, in disagreement with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, John Textor is increasingly establishing himself as a character in French football. For Prud'homme, “professional football needs someone like him today. He has an astonishing freedom of tone in a closed environment. When an actor does things differently, at first we criticize. But he puts a twist on foot in the anthill, he brings something”. Several French club leaders are still suspicious, or slanderous against the American? “There are, yes. But it’s up to me to make the connection and bring my part of French culture.”
This is also its role in the Lyon region. Local politicians, very attached to Jean-Michel Aulas, have for the most part had difficulty getting along with this American, who is not always present on site. At the club, we assure you that the time for mistrust has passed. “Lyon is a network city. And everything is peaceful today.” During the dozen or so greeting ceremonies in January, Laurent Prud'homme and several players from the club were able to strengthen this OL – city link.
OL version Aulas dismantled to focus on the men's team
Because Textor was accused locally of selling the family jewels. With Eagle, he focused everything on men's football. Sale of the LDLC Arena, OL Reign (women's team in the United States) and the French women's section in particular. To pass the pill to the Lyonnais, he favored the sale of the Arena precisely to Jean-Michel Aulas and the OL women to Michelle Kang, one of the most powerful businesswomen in football who promises to invest even more .
The owner of Olympique Lyonnais is constantly on the move, but visibly convinced by the direction to take. “The relationship of trust between French football and the new Lyon presidency takes time to build,” summarizes Laurent Prud'homme. “But whatever he says, he does!” If this is the case, Textor will have managed to recover the promised money, and OL will remain in Ligue 1 after its end-of-season visit to the DNCG.
