PSG spends tens of millions of euros to save rivals from relegation?

TPO - Lyon announced that they have successfully appealed the decision to relegate the club. Perhaps PSG is the team that has contributed the most to help Lyon successfully turn the tables.

Two weeks ago, the former French champions were demoted to the second division. The reason was that they could not pay their debts, estimated at 175 million euros. Lyon fell into this situation because the management was ineffective, paying players much higher salaries than the team's budget.

Lyon has recruited many stars and paid them high salaries, but their performance has been unconvincing. Their continuous failure to qualify for the Champions League has made it impossible for the club to find a source of income to pay off its debts.

Lyon has been warned many times by the French League Supervisory Agency (DNCG) but the situation has not changed, forcing DNCG to make the final decision to relegate the club.

Lyon sold Cherki to pay off debts

To save the situation, Lyon decided to sell Cherki to Man City for 35 million euros. In addition, they also sold Said Behrama, Johann Lepenant... The total amount of money that this club has sold players up to now is 56 million euros. They have not spent a penny to recruit players, while liquidating a series of high-salary players. The team's owner, John Textor, also sold off shares in other clubs to save Lyon.

Not stopping there, there is news that PSG also extended a helping hand to their rival. The richest team in France decided to spend all the transfer money in the Bradley Barcola deal for Lyon. In the 2023/24 season, they signed a contract with Lyon to buy Barcola for 50 million euros, paid in several installments.

But PSG paid 50 million euros directly to their rival instead of paying in installments as agreed between the two parties. This information has not been confirmed by both parties, but perhaps it was thanks to PSG that Lyon had more money to pay off its debts, thereby meeting a series of financial demands of DNCG and finally successfully appealing.

After a hearing on July 9, Lyon received the decision to continue playing in Ligue 1. "We welcome today's decision by the DNCG. We thank the committee for recognizing the club's appeal efforts. We are committed to managing the club seriously in the future," the team confirmed.

The recent turning point can be said to have saved Lyon and the French National Championship. In the context of the tournament's increasingly low competitiveness, keeping a team with a rich tradition like Lyon can create competition and attract the tournament. Thereby, fans can come to the stadium more, and television copyright packages will also not fall in price.

Dang Lai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/psg-chi-hang-chuc-trieu-euro-cuu-kinh-dich-thoat-canh-rot-hang-post1758936.tpo