Olympique Lyonnais crosses a historic storm, precipitated by the Small Decording Decision of the DNCG to demot the club in Ligue 2.. A shock wave has spread far beyond Lyon, shaking the club's foundations and putting its owner, John Textor, in an increasingly precarious position. If the call made by the club is underway, the contours of power at the head of the OL could be redesigned earlier than expected.
As explained by the teamJohn Textor, boss of Eagle Football and OL's main shareholder, is today weakened. His credit is strongly started, both with the public and his own partners and lenders, in particular the powerful ARES fund. The night following the announcement of the DNCG was white for the American, busy mobilizing his supporters, including Michele Kang and Jean-Pierre Conte. For the moment, they are holding on, but the idea of losing hundreds of millions invested could soon refer the cards.
Ares could resume power in Lyon
Aware that his voice is no longer audible in France, Textor has already started a form of withdrawal. He would seek a spare figure to embody the rest of the legal and financial fight. Kang, president of OL Female, is mentioned, as is Michael Gerlinger, director of football of the group. Nothing has yet been decided, but an informal sidelining of Textor seems to be initiated.
The substance of the problem is partly due to the transaction around the shares of Crystal Palace. The € 210 million resulting from this sale will not be immediately available for OL, because waged for the benefit of ARES, the main creditor of Textor. Only € 40 million will go directly to the short -term club. The DNCG, on the other hand, awaits proof of new liquidity, up to at least € 70 million, to return to its decision.
Ares' position therefore becomes central. By providing the money required, the fund could impose its strategic choices, or even dismiss Textor from active governance. The return of Laurent Prud'homme, an ex-director general and privileged interlocutor of Ares, is also mentioned. The DNCG's blow of the DNCG therefore not only shaken a historic club: it could also precipitate the end of the Textor era at OL.
To summarize
Dravated in Ligue 2, OL is going through a major crisis. Weakened, John Textor could be dismissed in favor of a new face to save the club. The ARES fund, a key creditor, gains in influence and could take the hand, gradually relegating Textor out of the Lyon decision sphere.
Editor
