Heard among the first clubs on November 15, OL were heavily sanctioned by the DNCG: ban on recruiting and, above all, threat of relegation to L2 at the end of the season if the club did not achieve its financial projections. While the other teams received their letter of sanction on average within 48 hours following their appearance before the control body, OL only received this official document, necessary to appeal, a month later, this which annoyed internally. The Lyon management then decided to use this right to challenge the decisions of the DNCG, just before the truce, and it now knows its agenda: the meeting has been set for next Friday, January 10, before the Commission of appeal of the Federation.
OL therefore wishes to present itself with new financial elements proving that its projections were reasonable. Among them, a liquidity injection of €100 million promised before Eagle’s listing on the American stock exchange (IPO), of which €80 million will have already been paid in December and early January, according to management, in time for the hearing call.
New arguments to put forward?
John Textor and his general manager Laurent Prud’homme could also claim sales already made (Jeffinho, Orban, and perhaps others within a week) but also significant sales potentially to come at Botafogo (Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus in particular) which would benefit OL. The reduction in payroll (Lopes leaving for Nantes) is also ahead of the initial plan, with other big contracts expiring in the spring (Lacazette, Tagliafico).