Few were truly surprised by the French Football Federation’s decision to relegate Olympique Lyon to Ligue 2 due to severe financial issues. What did come as a shock, however, was what happened in the days that followed.According to RMC Sport, Paris Saint-Germain has stepped in to assist their long-time sporting rivals by injecting a significant financial lifeline. It marks a dramatic turnaround in relations between the two clubs, especially considering that just a few months ago, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Lyon’s owner John Textor were publicly at odds.BREAKING Olympique Lyon relegated to Ligue 2!The American businessman at the helm of Lyon had repeatedly claimed he was “fighting against the state,” alluding to the Qatari backing behind the newly crowned European champions. In response, Al-Khelaifi referred to Textor as a “cowboy who came out of nowhere,” adding that he “has no idea how to run a club.”But relations have now taken a complete U-turn. PSG has reportedly agreed to pay OL the part of the Bradley Barcola transfer, who moved to the French capital in 2023. The young winger was signed for €45 million, with an additional €5 million in potential bonuses. The deal had originally been structured in multiple installments, but PSG has now decided to pay the remaining amount in one lump sum to help Lyon stay afloat.Ex-Gunner Lacazette leaves relegated Lyon to pursue another chapter far awayThe exact figure of this payment has not been disclosed publicly.This isn’t the first time a major club has come to the aid of a domestic rival in financial distress – Bayern Munich famously helped Borussia Dortmund avoid bankruptcy years ago.The move will certainly aid the former French champions as they attempt to get their finances in order ahead of a new financial review by the French Federation. Lyon is fighting to overturn the decision to relegate them, and even if the ruling stands, they retain the right to appeal or escalate the matter to the courts.##NAJAVA_MECA_8995864##
