Here’s a head-scratcher from the world of football. Brazilian club Botafogo is now asking French giant Lyon for a whopping 65 million Euros. They say it’s about “fixing a money problem” between the two clubs. What makes this whole thing odd? Both teams fall under the same ownership umbrella, the Eagle Football Group. And right in the middle of it all is John Textor, who runs Botafogo’s football division. He also recently decided to step back from leading Lyon.
For years, players have moved back and forth between these two clubs. They are supposed to be allies, part of the same big football family. But now, Botafogo has come out with a detailed explanation. They claim they greatly helped Lyon when the French club faced a ban. Lyon couldn’t sign new players for the 2024/25 season. Botafogo believes Lyon needs to pay them back for that help.
A statement, reported by Globo, lays out the story. It says Lyon faced a player signing ban starting November 15, 2024. This forced Botafogo to make some tough choices. They had to deal with other teams regarding players meant for Lyon. These included Luiz Henrique, Igor Jesus, and Jair. Botafogo states they took a big hit. They accepted transfer fees much lower than the players’ true market value. Their goal was to get quick cash and give Lyon a hand.
Botafogo’s football company also says they didn’t charge Lyon for the loan of midfielder Thiago Almada. Plus, they sold the rights for four players to Lyon for just 7.6 million Euros. Now, Botafogo feels it’s time to get serious. They say it’s “necessary to make the current financial problem official through legal channels.” They are demanding “repayment of the amounts loaned earlier.” This is how they arrived at the 65 million Euro figure.