Since Qatar’s takeover of Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon has seen a noticeable decline in its brilliance. John Textor, the club’s owner since 2022, has transformed the Rhone side into an organisational battleground rather than focusing solely on sporting success.
Lyon is a cornerstone of French football, boasting eight league titles, five French Cups, and two appearances in the Champions League semi-finals. Situated in France’s second-largest city, Lyon now sets its sights on dethroning its league nemesis: Paris Saint-Germain.
Since the Qatari investment in PSG in 2011, the club has surged ahead with its vast resources. “It’s an illegal model,” comments Textor, the American entrepreneur who succeeded Jean-Michel Aulas at the helm of OL.
Textor, recently branded a “cowboy” by PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, aims to overturn the status quo with his concept of multiple club ownership and to confront the league authorities directly. His mission? To restore Lyon to its former glory as a Champions League contender, reminiscent of its golden era from 2000 to 2010.
Aiming for Second Place
“I want to win the Champions League,” Textor declared upon his arrival in 2020, later stating that failing to secure Ligue 1 would be a “failure” for Lyon. These aspirations seemed ambitious at first, but after two years, he has recognised a shift in focus as he enters his third season as club owner.
“Right now, this esteemed club can only aim for second place,” he acknowledged in a July interview with Globo Esporte. “We’ll give it our best shot, and I hope we can put pressure on them and catch them off guard. But their resources are just too deep; a little oil money from them easily tips the scales.”
Since then, Textor has risen to the challenge. Initially, he faced scrutiny from the DNCG (the financial oversight body for French clubs), which imposed restrictions on wage caps and transfer expenditures, even sidelining him to Ligue 2 temporarily due to perceived financial excesses. “The decision is baseless; they fail to understand the timeshare model,” he remarked in an interview with AS.
In France, the arrival of Textor and his Eagle Football Group — which also owns Crystal Palace, Botafogo, and Molenbeek — has caused unease among other club presidents, including Marseille’s Pablo Longoria.
The concept of free loans between his owned clubs, while Lyon finds itself under financial sanctions, alongside financial arrangements that allow one club to settle another’s debts, annoys many within the league. In a league already struggling due to low television rights revenues, these strategies have raised more than a few eyebrows.
A Clash with PSG
Textor remains firm in his belief that his ownership model is the sole viable option for challenging PSG’s financial supremacy. “The only way to compete against limitless resources is for clubs worldwide to collaborate in identifying players globally,” he theorises.
“By scouting and unearthing 11 players superior to those at PSG, we might find a way to break even with them,” he asserts.
“But if I’m surrounded by league presidents who consistently attack the multiple ownership model while safeguarding PSG’s financial might, then no one will have a chance at competing with PSG for the Ligue 1 title.”
Textor is now coming out swinging. After initially being the target of the French league’s existing framework upon his arrival, he is now spearheading a campaign against the PSG model, which he describes as “illegal” and contrary to European laws.
“The PSG financing structure is illegal; our multiple ownership model is completely legitimate and compliant,” he states simply, adding, “It’s not against the law for a foreign player or a foreign state to support a business in the EU if it distorts competition.”
Textor is also steadfast in his resolve not to offload his best players to PSG, despite frequent speculation regarding Rayan Cherki’s potential transfer to its formidable rival. Does this indicate a strategy to stay competitive?
While Textor’s recent visibility has largely stemmed from his opposition to the French football establishment, he has also made significant changes, such as replacing Pierre Sage with Paulo Fonseca — a move aimed at ensuring Champions League qualification is at least within reach.
Chasing Champions League Status
Sage had transformed from a miracle worker in the 2023/24 season to a liability midway through the 2024/25 season. Despite having eight wins, six draws, and five losses placing Lyon sixth in Ligue 1, Textor felt compelled to make a decisive change. “I must not be overly swayed by emotions. Midway through the season, we’re not in the top four, and to get there, we must defeat the best teams,” he remarked.
This pragmatic approach was echoed by his comments to CANAL: “My objective is to maximise our chances of competing in the Champions League. Many supporters believe Pierre could have been successful, and perhaps they’re right, but my role is to boost that probability—regardless of whether it’s a popular decision.”
This situation, combined with the timing and the opportunity to bring in Fonseca, led to the dismissal of a coach who had achieved great things just a year earlier.
“If Pierre had secured the outcomes he anticipated, he would still be at Lyon,” Textor explained. “Timing also played a role here, which has ultimately favoured us. I had to make a choice.
“I consulted my staff about changing the coach, and initially, they opposed it, calling it too risky. Then I asked them if we could still reach the Champions League with this coach… they said ‘no’. I inquired if they wanted to abandon our ambitions this season, and they responded ‘no way!’ Then I asked them again if we should change coaches, and they all agreed ‘yes’.”
Fonseca – The Right Fit for Lyon
The scene has already circulated throughout Europe and will surely remain a talking point for a while. Suspended until November 30th for his misconduct against referee Benoit Millot during the match against Brest, Fonseca received some significant backing on March 6th for his 52nd birthday. “Happy birthday Paulo! I stand with you today and always. You may have erred… but your apology was genuine, and the punishment is disproportionate. You’re the right fit for Lyon, and we intend to persist,” Textor proclaimed on Instagram.
This statement was sufficient to quell any whispers regarding Fonseca’s future and send a clear signal to sceptics who were already advocating for his departure. However, Fonseca is firmly in place; as soon as the penalty was announced, Lyon declared they had “registered their strong disapproval of the severity and rapidity of the penalty imposed“, asserting that the coach’s actions were driven by emotion without any real intent to assault the referee.
For the club, this was yet another episode in its long history of clashes with authorities and rival clubs within the French league.
As for Fonseca, he’s not contemplating his future. He assured CANAL+ on the sidelines of the match against Steaua Bucharest that he is “ready to keep working despite this lengthy suspension” and aims to “find solutions together and organise the team optimally for upcoming matches.”
Lyon started their tie against Steaua Bucharest with an impressive 3-1 victory before turning their focus back to Ligue 1 and their quest for Champions League qualification.
Currently sitting just four points behind the Champions League qualifying positions, Lyon is in striking distance of their target, although an unfavourable fixture list poses challenges. Facing Nice this coming Sunday, they are far from favourites, followed by matches against Strasbourg, Lille, Auxerre, Rennes, Lens, and Monaco.
Lyon’s prospect of success now hinges on a series of fortunate outcomes, recalling a historical figure from Fonseca’s management: the 10 goals scored in his initial three matches equal a record set 22 years ago: only Paul Le Guen’s side in the 2002/03 season managed the same feat.
It serves as a reminder of the hope that Lyon can once again bask in the glory of the beautiful game and its goals.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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