OL face €30m shortfall after Fenerbahçe play-off defeat and Europa League drop | OneFootball

OL's Champions League play-off defeat to Fenerbahçe has created a major budget gap after they dropped into the Europa League. According to L'Équipe, the shortfall is about €30m.

Lyon beat Sparta Prague 4-2 on aggregate to reach the play-offs. They drew 1-1 in the first leg against Fenerbahçe, then lost 2-1 at Groupama Stadium and went out.

OL had already banked €4.29m from the play-offs. Missing the Champions League groups costs the €18.62m fixed participation fee plus at least €23m from UEFA's value pillar covering TV and club coefficient. In the Europa League, the floor is €4.31m plus about €6m from the same pillar, for roughly €10.3m.

Further losses hit matchday income, which would rise by 30% with Champions League qualification, along with sponsorship, shirt sales and merchandising. On the pitch, a group-stage win in the Champions League pays €2.1m against €450,000 in the Europa League, a draw €700,000 against €150,000. Prizes are at least tripled, often quadrupled, in the elite competition.

With ongoing financial strain and a Europa League campaign ahead, the club will have to raise €50m in sales. Leading assets will depart, including Malick Fofana, to help balance the books. OL are therefore forced to sell quickly before the transfer window closes.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”