Seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon have officially been relegated to the second tier of French football, the Ligue de Football Professionel have confirmed in a statement.
Back in November, Les Gones were provisionally demoted to Ligue 2 due to their disastrous financial situation; it was reported that the club were saddled with debts of over £400m.
Lyon were under immense pressure to rectify their economic situation before the end of the season or face losing their top-flight status, leading to the sales of several prized assets and long-serving stars.
Rayan Cherki, Maxence Caqueret, Gift Orban and Said Benrahma were among the standout players to depart, while president John Textor also sought to improve his club's financial state by selling his stake in Crystal Palace and ceding control of the women's team to Michele Kang.
However, Ligue 1's Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion (DNGC) were not satisfied that such measures led to the desired improvement, and they announced in a press release on Tuesday evening that the club had been relegated.
Lyon - who finished sixth in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 table to qualify for the Europa League - have the right to appeal the decision and are expected to do so, but the decision will come as a major shock to Textor, who was publicly optimistic about Les Gones' chances of staying in the top flight.
Chelsea, Liverpool given huge transfer green light thanks to Lyon relegation
Belgium's Malick Fofana on October 10, 2024
The former all-conquering force of French football. The team that birthed Karim Benzema. The side that boasted midfield maestros Juninho and Michael Essien during the glory days. It does not seem real, but barring a successful appeal, it is.
Even after Paris Saint-Germain began to rule the land, Lyon were Champions League semi-finalists and genuine Ligue 1 title challengers during the COVID-19 era. But if their last-ditch attempt to stay in the top flight fails, expect a mass exodus of top talent.
Following Cherki's switch to Manchester City, 20-year-old Belgian winger Malick Fofana is the newest jewel of the Gones' crown, one who has supposedly attracted interest from Chelsea and Liverpool.
The two Premier League giants could do worse than test the waters following such a significant development, especially with Fofana no doubt eyeing a spot in the Belgium squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Fellow attackers Ernest Nuamah and Georges Mikautadze could also seek out new stomping grounds, as might Argentinian playmaker Thiago Almada, a member of the Albiceleste's 2022 World Cup-winning squad.
However, Juventus memorably kept hold of David Trezeguet, Alessandro del Piero, Pavel Nedved and Gianluigi Buffon after their relegation to Serie B in 2006, so both club-wise and player-wise, nothing is a guarantee so soon after this demotion bombshell.
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