the underside of the DNCG’s resounding decision

The verdict fell yesterday and it is a real ax. After his hearing earlier in the day, OL received the news that he probably feared, or pretended to fear. The DNCG decided to regulate its payroll and prohibited it from recruiting but that is not the worst. For the moment, Olympique Lyonnais is demoted as a precautionary measure at the end of this season. In other words, whatever the ranking of Les Gones on the evening of the 34th day (they are currently 5th in Ligue 1), they will be in Ligue 2 next season if the economic situation has not been rectified.

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The DNCG press release contrasts with John Textor’s optimistic speech at the end of the hearing. “I am confident in our numbers. I can never be confident in how a regulator views these things.” He almost boasted, accusing dark forces who would like to hinder him. “I believe the DNCG is independent of some of the pressures you see. But we have a lot of enemies, you know, on the board, in the league, a big club in Qatar.”

The DNCG wanted solid guarantees

But the truth is that the financial policeman expects between €100 million and €200 million to be provided by June 30. Eagle Group, owner of the club, had however explained in a press release that it would receive €75 million in contributions by the end of the year thanks to the sale of players from the holding’s clubs (Igor Jesus from Botafogo for example) and in the form of capital. The sale of Crystal Palace shares (Textor would have presented firm offers to the DNCG) should serve as new money and should bring in half of this €75 million. The holding company must also provide €100 million at the start of next year, and the winter transfer window can be used to sell players.

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We of course think of Rayan Cherki first, whose popularity has increased in recent weeks. His replacement is, what’s more, ready-made since it is Thiago Almada, currently a Botafogo player who has already promised to join OL after January 1 (the DNCG’s decision comes too late to prevent this move) . To fill the boxes, The Team also informs us that Textor is looking for investors to bring into the capital in order to replenish the coffers. All this did not convince his interlocutors.

A highly anticipated press conference this morning

The DNCG was expecting guarantees and real prospects, not hypothetical sales of players or capital. The body had already had little taste of the figures presented during last season, which had earned Olympique Lyonnais, in the summer of 2023, a control of its payroll and a limitation on recruitment. “This is the advantage of being a timeshare that shares liquidity and resources between all clubs» smiled John Textor yesterday. He will undoubtedly wear a little more mask during his media intervention at 11 a.m., which will be particularly anticipated.