Lyon escaped the relegation crisis and was also protected by European war qualifications

After miraculously escaping the fate of relegation at the last moment, the veteran French powerhouse Lyon successfully retained the qualification to participate in the Ligue 1 and Europa League next season. On the evening of July 9th local time, Lyon Club issued a statement on its official website saying: "We welcome the final decision made by DNCG (France National Professional Football Management Committee) - allowing Lyon to continue to participate in the Ligue 1. We thank the Appeal Committee for acknowledging the ambition and rigorous attitude of the club's new management."

Just two weeks ago, this historic team was ruled by DNCG to be directly relegated from Ligue 1 due to financial problems that were not properly resolved. This decision not only puts Lyon at the risk of losing his top league place, but also endangers their hard-won Europa League qualification.

The new chairman turned the tide

Thanks to the active response of the new chairman Michelle Cong and CEO Michael Gleberg, Lyon management had face-to-face in-depth communication with the DNCG Appeals Committee. The new leadership successfully convinced the jury to revoke the original downgrade penalty through detailed fiscal plans, clear strategic goals and firm commitments.

However, although I escaped for the time being, Lyon's life was not easy. DNCG still sets strict salary caps and transfer budget restrictions on it, which means clubs must be careful to maintain competitiveness under limited resources. The new management of the club emphasized that this is only the first step to rebuilding the "Lyon brand". They hope to take this opportunity to reshape the trust of fans and society in this "Lion on the Rhone" and reestablish their position in France and even European football.

Next, Lyon will focus on preparing for the new season - both in the domestic league and the UEFA Cup, will face huge challenges, but it is also full of hope. The former chairman withdrew and sold Crystal Palace shares to repay debts. It is worth mentioning that since taking control of Lyon in June 2022, American billionaire John Tester, who has held 77% of the club's equity, has announced that he will withdraw from the club's management in full.

As part of improving Lyon's financial situation, Tester agreed to sell his 43% stake in Crystal Palace to New York Jets (NFL) owner Woody Johnson. The deal is subject to the Premier League approval and the approval process is expected to last about two months.

The funds will be mainly used to repay the debts of the Lyon Club and help the team get out of the financial quagmire.