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Despite forcing Nigerian striker Gift Orban to leave the club in January, Lyon were adjudged to still be in the financial red
French football giants Olympique Lyonnais have officially been relegated to Ligue 2 following a ruling by France’s football financial watchdog, the DNCG.
The decision comes despite desperate efforts to stabilise the club’s finances, including the sale of Nigerian striker Gift Orban to Hoffenheim.
DNCG demote Lyon to second division
Lyon’s fate was sealed after a crucial meeting with the DNCG, which had previously issued a provisional warning: fix your finances or face the drop.
In response, the Eagle Football Group, led by owner John Textor, scrambled to satisfy the financial body’s requirements. They sold off key assets, including Textor’s stake in Crystal Palace and Lyon’s highly successful women’s team, and injected new capital in hopes of averting disaster. Yet, the DNCG remained unconvinced.
Despite Textor’s public optimism following the meeting, the LFP confirmed that Lyon had not met the necessary standards.
“Our liquidity situation has improved considerably,” Textor claimed at the time, but it was not enough. Lyon, seven-time Ligue 1 champions between 2002 and 2008, will now begin a new chapter in the second division, a stunning fall from grace for one of France’s most decorated clubs.
Gift Orban sale fails to rescue Lyon from financial collapse
One of the club’s last-ditch efforts to raise funds involved selling Super Eagles invitee Gift Orban to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.
The January transfer brought in a reported €9 million plus €3 million in add-ons, a deal designed to alleviate Lyon’s immediate cashflow crisis.
Orban had joined OL from Genk just months earlier but struggled to impress, managing limited appearances after falling out with the head coach.
His exit was expected to aid Lyon’s survival efforts financially, but ultimately proved insufficient. With the Nigerian striker now rebuilding his career in Germany, aLyon faces a far bleaker challenge of rebuilding from Ligue 2.
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