Botafogo takes Lyon to court over debt of more than R$745m | OneFootball

Botafogo announced that it has filed lawsuits against Olympique Lyonnais to recover a debt exceeding R$745 million. The move was filed last Friday and adds another wrinkle to the already strained relationship between the clubs within Eagle Group, the multi-club network led by John Textor.

According to the statement, the decision aims to ensure the return of the loaned amounts and protect the club’s assets. “The goal is to secure the return of the amounts owed, which are essential to strengthening Botafogo’s sporting project, and to safeguard the Club’s assets,” Botafogo said.

Since the incorporation of the SAF in 2022, Botafogo has become part of Eagle Group, which adopted a collaborative model for financial and player management among its clubs. According to the Rio-based club, this strategy was decisive in recent achievements, such as the Libertadores and the 2024 Brazilian Championship.

The text emphasizes that Olympique Lyonnais also benefited from this model shortly after being acquired by Eagle Football at the end of 2022. At the time, the French club was facing a serious financial crisis.

“Eagle Football acquired Olympique Lyonnais in a state of insolvency, with all banks demanding repayment of the debt and under the threat of severe sanctions from the DNCG,” the statement says.

Given this scenario, Botafogo made successive financial contributions to Lyon in the form of loans, totaling more than R$745 million. According to the Brazilian club, the transfers were made with “the clear expectation of reimbursement under previously established terms.”

The impasse began after internal conflicts among Eagle Group partners. According to Botafogo, Olympique Lyonnais’ new president unilaterally terminated the collaboration agreement. Even after benefiting from the resources received, the French club allegedly refused to fulfill its obligations. “The French club failed to meet the obligations it had undertaken, refusing to pay the debt,” the statement says.

In addition to the amount owed to Botafogo, Lyon also allegedly has an outstanding €12 million debt with RWDM Brussels, another club belonging to the multi-club network. According to the statement, the default had direct impacts on the Rio club’s financial planning, affecting contract renewals and player signings.

Botafogo says the situation has had significant sporting consequences. “The default had direct impacts on Botafogo’s operations, compromising financial planning,” the club said, adding that it was even hit with a transfer ban imposed by FIFA at the end of 2025.

Given this scenario, the club says there is no possibility of backing down. “From now on, Botafogo is taking this step irreversibly,” the statement says. The SAF says it will adopt “all appropriate legal measures to fully recover the amounts owed by Olympique Lyonnais.”

The case deepens the institutional crisis within Eagle Group and calls into question the collaboration model among the clubs managed by John Textor, while also opening a new and delicate chapter in the relationship between Botafogo and Olympique Lyonnais.

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Read Botafogo’s full statement

“Last Friday (3), Botafogo filed legal actions against Olympique Lyonnais due to debts exceeding R$745 million. The objective is to ensure the return of the amounts owed, which are essential for strengthening Botafogo’s sporting project, and to safeguard the Club’s assets.

As has been publicly known since the incorporation of the SAF in 2022, Botafogo became part of Eagle Group, the multi-club network led by John Textor. As a competitive strategy, all clubs in the group adopted a collaborative model of financial and player management. This model contributed to Botafogo’s historic achievements, such as the CONMEBOL Libertadores and the 2024 Brazilian Championship. For Olympique Lyonnais, this collaboration also had a historic impact in the first year under John Textor’s command, taking the club out of the relegation zone and imminent drop, and qualifying it for the Europa League in just one transfer window.

Eagle Football acquired Olympique Lyonnais in a state of insolvency at the end of 2022, with all banks demanding repayment of the debt, and under the threat of severe sanctions from the DNCG on Eagle’s first day in control.

In this context, Botafogo made successive financial contributions, totaling more than R$745 million, in the form of loans, with the clear expectation of reimbursement under previously established terms.

Later, amid internal conflicts among Eagle Group partners, Olympique Lyonnais’ new president unilaterally terminated the collaboration agreement. Despite having benefited from the resources received, the French club failed to fulfill the obligations it had undertaken, refusing to pay the debt owed to Eagle Group clubs: R$745 million to Botafogo and another €12 million to RWDM Brussels. The default had direct impacts on Botafogo’s operations, compromising financial planning and affecting the club’s ability to renew contracts and sign players. As a consequence, the Club was even subjected to a transfer ban by FIFA at the end of 2025.

From now on, Botafogo is taking this step irreversibly: the SAF will adopt all appropriate legal measures to fully recover the amounts owed by Olympique Lyonnais and ensure the continuity and solidity of its sporting project.“

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.