John Textor wanted to 'implement the Premier League model' in France as ex-Lyon and Crystal Palace chief slams Ligue 1 and reveals plan to 'separate' Botafogo from Eagle Football Group

The former president of Lyon and current head of Eagle Football Group candidly discussed various issues, including Lyon, the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG) and Botafogo. Textor refuted claims that Lyon have been funding Botafogo's successes, asserting instead that the Brazilian team's significant revenues frequently supported the loss-making operations in France. The Eagle Group owner has been vocal about his opinions regarding French football and it's administration after the club was relegated to Ligue 2 and had to be reinstated in Ligue 1 - a process in which he lost his administrative powers over Lyon.

The French football watchdog showed concern regarding Lyon's financial conditions and had disagreements over the club's management, leading to their relegation to Ligue 2. The DNCG ordered Textor to produce concrete financial documents, which the American businessman was unable to provide. Textor opposed this decision and blamed the DNCG for lacking transparency and changing laws to suit their needs. This led Textor to step back from the management, with Michele Kang taking his position, helping to reinstate trust and get the club back to Ligue 1. Since then, Textor has been very public about his displeasure with French football and its ways of handling things. There were also reports that Textor was funding Botafogo's success using Lyon's financial capabilities, claims he has refuted.

Addressing claims of Lyon funding Botafogo, Textor said: "I'm going to be clear with everyone here. Botafogo generates significant revenue and finances several of Lyon's loss-making operations. Several articles you read in France claiming that Lyon financed Botafogo's titles are false. We make money from titles, player sales, and our expertise. Botafogo finances Europe, not the other way around. We are an organization audited by leading companies; we did all this to go public; there is no debate. There is no financial problem. We finance Europe. I want to separate Botafogo from the European part, but it is up to the Eagle board to decide."

Talking about his ambitions for French football, and his opinion on DNCG, the Botafogo owner explained: "It's clear that I made mistakes in France by wanting to be a reformer. The league is problematic, and the federation wants to take over the championship. There is only one man at the head of the DNCG, and he has a lot of power. There are no clear-cut rules; everything is very arbitrary. France wanted a facelift; they were tired of hearing me talk about change. I wanted to implement the Premier League model there, without the DNCG. I left voluntarily because I understood that I was the problem. I didn't say anything because I wanted Michele Kang to win the case. My ego and my positions didn't matter. We've always been financially sound; UEFA approved us. On May 20, the DNCG looked me in the face and told me that relegation was out of the question. What changed until June? It was clearly me."

Regarding Botafogo's separation from Eagle Football, Textor explained: "Michele can stay in France and I can stay in Brazil. We are a family. I am not afraid. I have not asked for help. I want to buy Botafogo and take it away from Eagle. I will continue to own Eagle, but I think it would be better if Botafogo were separated. There are partnerships in Europe that are better for the club. When we want to sell, the management tells us to withdraw to avoid conflicts of interest. It is a conversation. It is a friendly negotiation. I am talking with the management of Eagle, and I am the owner. The debate is about whether we run our club jointly with Lyon or separately. It is a family discussion."

Having stepped back from direct involvement at Lyon, Textor's primary focus appears to be consolidating his efforts on Botafogo. His stated desire to separate the Brazilian club from the wider Eagle Football Group indicates a potential restructuring of his multi-club ownership model. This move, described as a "friendly negotiation" with the Eagle board he largely appointed, suggests a shift towards greater autonomy for Botafogo.