Lyon owner John Textor has criticized the club's “enemies” as the French side faces relegation to Ligue 1 due to financial problems.
With Lyon declaring debts of around €500 million, the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG), French Football's financial watchdog, took tough action against Textor's team. According to FootMercato, the commission imposed provisional relegation from Ligue 1 on Lyon as well as a transfer ban and salary monitoring. Earlier on Friday, the American billionaire said: confident » in the club's figures and has apparently targeted other L1 teams, including Paris Saint-Germain.
He told a press conference: “I have confidence in our numbers. I can never trust how a regulator views these things. I think 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.”
“This great club from Qatar”
Rumors suggest Lyon could yet save themselves from relegation to Ligue 2 if they shed players and Textor, whose Eagle Football Group owns 87.7% of the French team, sells its 45% stake in Crystal Palace. TalkSPORT claims that Lyon leaders will need €91 million to €100 million in revenue to escape these sanctions. Lyon, which is fifth in Ligue 1, must raise funds and quickly.
OL will therefore have to sell some players during the January transfer window, with rumors suggesting that valuable assets such as Rayan Cherki and Malick Fofana could be allowed to leave to raise vital funds.
