Olympique Lyonnais (OL) is about to experience a new era after a period of intense uncertainty. Paulo Fonseca’s arrival as a new coach, whose first speech of the season, will be carefully examined. Fonseca expressed its joy to be able to work with the certainty of OL’s place in Ligue 1 and Europa League for the 2025-2026 season. This news, which ends a period of doubt following the legal battle for the club’s survival, is seen as a relief and a new start for the team. The coach is aware of the challenges ahead, including the need to train a potentially less experienced workforce to compete in a demanding competition.

The recent legal battle for OL’s survival involved a series of complex developments. John Textor, the former president of the club, chose to step back and left room for a new management duo, composed of Michele Kang and Michael Gerlinger. This decision comes at a time when Textor was sued in London by Iconic Sports, an acquisition company that had tried unsuccessfully to merge with Eagle Football Holdings, Textor’s subsidiary. This legal action is a direct consequence of Iconic Sports’ desire to recover the €80 million invested in Eagle Football Holdings when OL was acquired.

John Textor, for his part, responded by bringing legal action against Iconic Sports and its financiers. He believes that he has not been fully informed of the links between Iconic Sports and the Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, who was sanctioned in the United Kingdom. Textor also criticises the Swiss bank UBS Group AG, which allegedly refused to get involved in the rapprochement with Iconic Sports because of the relations between Fridman and the financier. The future of OL is therefore rich in challenges, but also opportunities, with a new leadership and a coach determined to lead the club towards success.