Lyon – Nantes – Renewal and reprieve: Lyon, the impossible balance?

Everything is fine, finally. Olympique Lyonnais is back among the teams that count in Ligue 1, and even in Europe. After a dismal start to the season, the Lyonnais returned to within two points of the top 4 in the league thanks to an astonishing dynamic which has only seen them lose once in L1 since October (at the Parc des Princes on December 15). . In the Europa League, they have already ensured their presence in the play-offs but can resolutely aim for direct qualification for the 8th. In short, everything is finally working out for a club which has not played a Champions League match, its natural habitat for almost two decades, for 4 years.

Almost back in their place, Lyon found a typical team, new talents, and generated an enthusiasm that had eluded them for months. But the balance is incredibly fragile since OL is under threat of demotion to Ligue 2 pronounced on November 17 by the DNCG while Eagle Group Football’s debts reach 463.8 million euros. The body expects 100 to 200 million in financial guarantees. OL’s fight to regain its standards goes far beyond the field.

Lyon is therefore a club on borrowed time. The whole question now is how to satisfy the DNCG, how to save drastically without achieving the team’s newfound competitiveness. A real tightrope walking exercise. The already recorded departures of Anthony Lopes and Gift Orban fit perfectly into this equation: Lopes no longer played and cost 350,000 euros gross per month, the transfer Orban, who continued to decline in the hierarchy of attackers, reported 12 million euros. The savings are, so far, painless, but will not be enough to satisfy the DNCG. Lyon still has a small margin with Wilfried Zaha or Maxence Caqueret but their market is small and they will not be enough to fill the hole. Pierre Sage knows it.

“The needs are to degreasesaid the coach at a press conference. We cannot, in view of the decisions taken by the DNCG, envisage anything. In August, we had to manage entries and exits, here it’s more exits. The team must remain competitive. We will not put a sector of the game in danger by releasing two players from the same position and the same profile.“In the current situation, no player can say 100% that he will still be there on February 1.

Even Georges Mikautadze, who repeated that he wanted to stay, does not have the assurance of this in the event of good offers. No more than Rayan Cherki. Excellent since the start of the season and essential in Lyon’s revival, he perfectly embodies OL’s dilemma. The attacking midfielder will have a market if he is put up for sale (PSG, Liverpool) but are Lyon ready to part with him to convince the DNCG even if it means putting part of their ambitions under wraps?

“Cherki has a greater value today than this summer. He should stay in January, but it will be his choice, as always in football“, agreed Textor at a press conference. The owner, a fan of self-persuasion, proclaimed after the DNCG’s decision: “We won’t be relegated, there’s no chance we will bes.”

Direct qualification for the Champions League could ensure, at a minimum, 18 million euros for Lyon and a sale of Cherki between 20 and 30… Where should we place the cursor? The sale of Crystal Palace shares belonging to John Textor (around 45%) could relieve the finances of the Eagle Football group. But the DNCG wants actions, not promises. The month of January offers Lyon the opportunity to act on its good intentions. Winter will be decisive.