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Jesse Lingard has revealed how the iconic J-L celebration came about with a Manchester United hotel room story.

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• J-L hand celebration instantly became a phenomenon
• Revealed how he came up with the idea in a hotel room
• Also spoke about his business alter ego

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The celebration, which features the England international forming the letters "J" and "L" with his fingers, was first conceived during his time at Manchester United and, interestingly, it was born not on the pitch, but in a hotel room. Recalling the story, Lingard shared that the idea first came to him ahead of a match against West Brom.

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• WHAT LINGARD SAID

  Speaking to , Lingard said: "When I was at Manchester United, we played West Brom away. I was trying to practice that celebration. First, I was like doing different things. I turned J & L. So, if I scored today, I would do that celebration. So I scored and did that. Not many people knew what was going on. And eventually, I explained what it means. That's my later ego, J-Lingz. That's my business, guy."

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  The "J-Lingz" celebration was more than just an on-field quirk – it marked the birth of a personal brand. In 2018, just before flying out with England for the World Cup in Russia, Lingard took steps to legally protect his celebration. He registered trademarks that covered a wide range of fashion products, including clothing, footwear, and headgear. The same year, the first wave of JLingz merchandise hit the market. T-shirts, hoodies, and caps adorned with his logo and stylised initials became available for fans who wanted to show their support.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  It has since been revealed that the JLingz company, which operated for over six years, never turned a profit. Mounting financial issues eventually led to the company folding, with reports indicating it had accumulated nearly £300,000 in debt by the time operations ceased.

And so the cycle continues at Manchester United. With the end of the season on the horizon, the Red Devils will head into the summer window in need of a major overhaul yet again in this grim post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Getting it right on the recruitment front has long been an issue at Old Trafford, even stretching into the glory days under Fergie. Who can forget the 2009 window, in which the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez were replaced by Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan…

A word must also be said for 2013, when new boss David Moyes spent the summer chasing Cesc Fabregas and Gareth Bale – in came Marouane Fellaini. The 2020 window, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is another that requires further scrutiny, with the Norwegian coach handed the likes of Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and a teenage Facundo Pellistri.

As can be seen above, far too often have the Manchester side made a mess of things with regard to incomings, with INEOS – who may have questions to answer regarding their own business last summer – now left to try and rebuild the squad in Ruben Amorim’s image.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co will no doubt need to cover up the mess of the previous regime, with there seemingly a number of Erik ten Hag signings who need to be shown the door ahead of 2025/26.

How Man Utd's stars compare under Ten Hag & Amorim this season

When Amorim walked in the door back in November, United were languishing in mid-table, albeit with just seven points separating them and the top four, amid a slim but realistic chance of ending the season in the Champions League berths.

As it stands, the 15th-place strugglers are now 13 points behind Chelsea in fifth, having also slipped to ten points adrift of eighth-place Brighton and Hove Albion, ensuring any form of European qualification is likely to rest on Europa League glory.

Those woes lay bare the difficulties that Amorim has faced since replacing Ten Hag in the dugout, with far too many of his side having gone even further off the boil following the change in manager.

As indicated in the table above, the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo – prior to his cruel injury blow – have been the major beneficiaries of the Portuguese’s arrival, with the attacking pair having found their shooting boots amid the change in set-up.

On the flip side, Alejandro Garnacho – who was linked with a move to Chelsea in January – has scored just once under the new regime, with questions still to be asked over whether the Argentine truly fits in the 3-4-3 system.

The 20-year-old winger isn’t alone in having suffered of late, with Andre Onana’s strong early-season form having rapidly faded over the past three months or so.

Man Utd's "best player this season" needs to be sold

Prior to Amorim’s arrival – and the meteoric rise of Amad – there was a time in which it looked like Onana was blossoming into becoming United’s key performer, with journalist Steven Railston stating in late November that the Cameroonian had been the club’s “best player this season” at that stage.

Indeed, the former Inter stopper had produced a real highlight reel of saves in the early months of the campaign, even as Ten Hag’s fortunes dwindled, having notably produced stunning double saves away to the likes of Crystal Palace – as shown above – and Porto.

Since Amorim’s appointment, however, things have quickly taken a turn for the worse, with the 28-year-old making a string of costly mistakes across all competitions. After conceding just 17 times in 13 games under Ten Hag, Onana has now conceded 32 goals in just 20 games under Amorim in 2024/25.

Against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, for instance, the experienced ‘keeper failed to keep out Morgan Gibbs-White’s long-range effort, before both he and Lisandro Martinez watched on as Chris Wood’s header looped in at the back post.

Just days later, Onana’s errant pass out from the back was swiftly punished as Viktoria Plzen took a shock lead away in Czechia, while the new year has seemingly been the same old story, with the one-time Ajax man at fault for Brighton’s third goal after palming the ball into the path of Georginio Rutter.

That was followed by the £120k-per-week star also pushing the ball into the path of James Maddison in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while he also produced a strange parry into the air for Abdoulaye Doucoure’s header in the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

That growing list was then added to in the narrow 3-2 win over Ipswich Town, with Onana – who had raced out of his goal – partially at fault along with Patrick Dorgu for the away side’s opener, having also failed to keep out Jaden Philogene’s curling cross.

With three errors made leading to a goal by United’s number 24 in the Premier League this term, he is now looking back to the player who proved so costly in last season’s Champions League group stage horror show.

As analyst H noted on X, Onana will “never fill the Old Trafford crowd with any sense of confidence”, be it with the ball at his feet or when making a save. As The Overlap’s tactics man also went on to state, such uncertainty and nervousness is “impossible to come back from”.

The Manchester Evening News has reported in recent days that the current first-choice is keen to stay put next season, yet with Amorim himself seemingly looking to acquire a new goalkeeper, Onana’s days at Old Trafford should well be numbered.

And so, while the £47.2m signing did show signs of life in the early months of 2024/25, old habits have crept back in since then. INEOS may have other more pressing issues to consider this summer, but seeking out an upgrade in the sticks should certainly remain high on the agenda.

Not just Lindelof: Amorim must sell Man Utd man who earns more than Mainoo

Manchester United should move on from the winger in the summer transfer window.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 3, 2025

Crystal Palace are reportedly exploring an ambitious move for £45 million-rated Sporting CP star Ousmane Diomande.

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• Palace eye £45m-rated Diomande
• 'Nurtured' by Amorim at Sporting CP
• Eagles fighting Europa League battle

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Telegraph claims Palace are considering a move for the 21-year-old following their first-ever FA Cup success. And with centre-back Marc Guehi entering the final year of his contract, the Eagles are keeping tabs on the young defender.

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  The report adds that the Ivory Coast international, who could cost £45m ($61m), was 'nurtured' by United boss Amorim back when he was in charge at Sporting, and he is currently one of the most highly rated centre-backs in Europe. This comes at a time, however, when Palace may not be able to play in next season's Europa League, despite qualifying for it via their FA Cup triumph.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  BBC Sport reports that Palace are expected to have to wait until the end of June to find out if they can compete in next term's Europa League. They are in this situation as UEFA rules forbid individuals from having control of more than one club in the same competition. Palace co-owner, John Textor, has a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon – who have also qualified for next season's competition. Therefore, Palace's place in the tournament is under threat due to Textor's Eagle Football group, which has a 45 per cent stake at Oliver Glasner's team and 90 per cent at Lyon.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Palace are facing a vital few weeks as their ability to sign players may be impacted by whether or not they are allowed to play in next season's Europa League campaign, with the possibility of competing in Europe likely to attract a higher calibre of player.

Manchester United have now made a proposal of Rasmus Hojlund plus cash to sign “the best striker in the world”, and his club would be open to a deal of that nature, according to a journalist.

Hojlund struggling in the Premier League

Hojlund has regularly found himself on the scoresheet in the Europa League, netting five times in the league phase, but the majority of the Dane’s goals came against relatively weak opposition in Bodo/Glimt and Viktoria Plzen.

The 22-year-old has struggled against tougher teams in the Premier League, netting just two goals in 23 appearances this term and failing to find the back of the net since scoring in the 3-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest back in December.

Summer signing Joshua Zirkzee has also been an unreliable source of goals, scoring six in 42 games in all competitions, so it is little wonder Man United are looking to bring in a new striker when summer comes around.

Man Utd could now move for "outstanding" £84m striker instead of Osimhen

The Red Devils have identified a potential alternative to the Nigerian.

By
Dominic Lund

Mar 11, 2025

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen has emerged as a target for the Red Devils, and journalist Luca Cerchione has now dropped an interesting update on their pursuit of the Nigerian, suggesting a proposal has already been made.

Cerchione said: “Keep an eye on the Rasmus Højlund trail, which was reported to me last week.

“United have proposed Højlund to Napoli as part of the deal that could bring Victor Osimhen to Manchester United. In order for Osimhen’s price tag to drop, they will also talk about Højlund, who Conte likes a lot. We’ll see, we’ll follow this lead. €40m, plus Højlund, would be a deal in favour of Napoli.”

Osimhen is known to have a £62m release clause in his Napoli contract, but United are seemingly keen on a deal of a different nature, which would allow them to get an underperforming striker off the books.

Osimhen could be "the best striker in the world"

It would be a shame to see Hojlund leave United so soon, considering he is still young at 22 and may go on to become a top striker, but Ruben Amorim’s side cannot pass up the opportunity to sign the Nigeria international, should Napoli be keen on a swap deal.

The 26-year-old was lauded as “the best striker in the world” by members of the media during his time with Napoli, and he has since gone on to impress on loan at Galatasaray this season, netting 23 goals in 29 games in all competitions.

There are also signs of interest on the player’s end, with previous reports suggesting the Galatasaray star is open to talks over a move to Old Trafford this summer, indicating a move could be a real possibility.

It is imperative Man United sign a striker this summer, given their current options’ struggles in front of goal this season, so it is exciting news they have now made a proposal for one of the world’s best.

If you thought the Glazers’ time at Manchester United was full of mistakes and errors, then check out how Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first few months have gone at Old Trafford.

While Ratcliffe will be the man to help fund United’s amazing new 100k-seater arena, regenerating the area around the current stadium, he’s also been the man to get rid of free lunches in the canteen, the man who has made a lot of hard-working staff redundant.

He’s also calling out players for their performances. Talk about being honest.

Speaking in a revealing interview last week with the BBC, the INEOS chief was rather scathing of a few players in particular.

Out of all those players, it’s safe to say that Antony has been one of the worst. Still, he’s enjoying quite a nice time of it at Real Betis.

Antony's form at Real Betis in 2025

If there was ever one player who totally encapsulated the reckless spending of the previous regime then it has to be the deal to bring Brazilian winger Antony to Manchester.

Skilful, yes, dazzling, yes, full of promise, yes. He had even worked with Ten Hag. In principle the ideology behind bringing Antony in made sense.

What didn’t make sense, however, was the transfer fee. He moved from Ajax for a colossal fee of £85.6m, prompting the question: Is Antony the worst value for money signing in Premier League history?

It’s hard to say no. In United red, he scored just 12 goals in 96 games. As a result, he’s cost £7.1m per goal and £891k per game. That’s without even considering his wages too. The whole transfer has been a mess.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

While Ratcliffe was brave to name-check the likes of Hojlund and Onana last week given they are regulars under Amorim, he was right to bring up Antony.

That said, perhaps it was just the environment. While the 25-year-old still isn’t proving himself worthy of such a high price tag, he is at least now finding form.

In the winter, the winger headed to Spain and Real Betis on loan where he’s enjoying a far better time of things. Remarkably, he’s one of the most in-form players in LaLiga now, scoring four goals and supplying four assists in 11 outings.

In the words of European football expert, Zach Lowy, he’s “finding a new lease on life at Betis.”

His form in Spain should, at least, mean United can now generate a decent fee so that’s one problem potentially solved for Ratcliffe.

How does he solve the Onana problem, though? He’s swiftly becoming the next Antony.

Manchester United's new Antony problem

It’s safe to say that the Brazil international became the biggest scapegoat going during his time in the north west of England.

Yet, while Hojlund did actually score last time out, the form of goalkeeper Onana continues to be questioned.

Put simply, he’s becoming the new scapegoat, the new Antony if you will, and head coach Amorim simply has to sign a replacement over the summer.

It will be a big window of change for United but part of that must be finding a new goalkeeper. This season, he has struggled significantly, described as an “absolute pushover” by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst back in December.

Since then, he’s not got much better with the nadir of his time at Old Trafford coming against Ipswich in February.

It’s strange, largely because the gloveman looked to have turned a corner. Earlier in the season he led the league for the most clean sheets with six but that display against the Tractor Boys only highlighted why there are persistent doubts surrounding the Cameroon international.

The game was just four minutes old when he darted towards the edge of the box. New signing Patrick Dorgu was running towards him and played a pass towards where he expected Onana to be.

Shamefully, Onana was not where he was expected to be and not for the first time either. As a result, it allowed Jaden Philogene to run past both players and tap the ball into an empty net.

This wasn’t the first time, nor will it be the last time the £120k-per-week earner is at fault for a goal. Since moving to the Premier League, he’s made four – what the top-flight label as ‘errors leading to a goal’ – three of which have come this campaign.

There was that blunder against Ipswich and in January, there was the error against Brighton, spilling a low cross right into the path of Georginio Rutter who was left with a tap-in.

Meanwhile, he’s not been much better in Europe either, something that stems back to last term. After that unforgettable error-stricken night in Turkey against Galatasaray, it signified that Onana had made seven errors which have led to goals in the Champions League since 2018/19. Dismal indeed.

So, while Antony never lived up to his big price tag, Onana has also struggled to live up to his hefty £47.2m fee.

Ratcliffe simply has to get rid of both of them when the summer rolls around. Amorim’s side will be better for it.

Amad upgrade: INEOS lodge bid to bring "Europe's best player" to Man Utd

Man Utd could be looking to sign a potential upgrade on Amad this summer

By
Robbie Walls

Mar 18, 2025

PSG may move away from France's capital in order to build a new $1bn stadium if they are not allowed to upgrade Parc des Princes, their current home.

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• PSG plot move outside of Paris
• Ligue 1 giants play at Parc des Princes
• Local authorities could block stadium expansion

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to leave France's capital city in order to build a stadium with a great capacity, according to . The Champions League winners do not own Parc des Princes, which has been their home ground since 1974, and local authorities could prevent the club from making any changes to upgrade it.

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  PSG have whittled the list down to two potential locations should they need to leave Parc des Princes. One is Massy, a commune in Paris' southern suburbs, and Poissy, where the club's players train.

• WHAT PSG SAID

  A PSG source told : "We take note and we must move forward with the other options.

  "Owning your stadium is not a whim or a simple posture: the big European teams operate with this model.

  "The economic competitiveness of the recent winner of the Champions League depends on it, she assures.

  "If tomorrow the Parc des Princes is saleable, we will see if we include it in our options. But I imagine that it will not change before the municipal elections."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  While PSG will hope to have their stadium situation resolved quickly, their first team will be in action at the Club World Cup this month. The treble winners face Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders in Group B.

Unhappy Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen could finally leave the Spanish champions after reportedly agreeing a move to Galatasaray.

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• Ter Stegen 'agrees' terms with Galatasaray
• Turkish side hope Barca agree to small fee
• Goalkeeper unhappy with Barca's Garcia signing

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ter Stegen is currently Barcelona's longest-serving player, as the German goalkeeper has been with the Catalan side since 2014, and been club captain following Sergi Roberto's departure last summer. The 33-year-old has been heavily criticised over the past half a decade by Blaugrana fans for supposed failures in between the sticks, and following his injury early in the 2024-25 season, he was replaced by Inaki Pena, and then by Wojciech Szczesny, both of whom outperformed the German.

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  Following his return to fitness on the back end of the season, Ter Stegen had expected that he would become the starter again, an expectation that was quickly shot down by Hansi Flick. Barcelona are now set to sign Joan Garcia from Espanyol, and Ter Stegen is set to play second fiddle yet again next season, which has made the German furious.

• TELL ME MORE…

  Turkish outlet have now reported that Super Lig champions Galatasaray have acted upon Ter Stegen's unhappiness at Barcelona, and have agreed personal terms with the Germany international. The Turkish giants are ready to strike a deal with Barcelona if they either allow Ter Stegen to leave for a small fee or an initial loan. Spanish publication have also reported that Galatasaray may settle for a loan with a buy option for next season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TER STEGEN?

  Barcelona have recently announced that they will officially return for pre-season training on July 13 as they look to defend all three domestic titles next season. However, whether Ter Stegen will be at the Ciutat Esportiva for the same remains to be seen.

The international break came at precisely the right time for Glasgow Rangers. The Ibrox side had progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League before beating Celtic at Parkhead just three days later.

Barry Ferguson will have had a few days to enjoy those results, particularly the latter while keeping an eye on several players who are away representing their national teams.

Speaking of which, what have the boys in Light Blue been up to over the last week or so?

The Rangers players on international duty

It’s been a busy week or so for those at Rangers, travelling off on the globe. Perhaps the most notable national side inclusion was Hamza Igamane. His rampant form at Ibrox earned him his first call-up to the Morocco squad, making his debut against Niger in a World Cup qualifier.

Nedim Bajrami played 63 minutes against England on Friday evening, while Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny both appeared for Romania and the Czech Republic in their recent international games.

Elsewhere, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo were called up for Wales, with the latter scoring the opener against Kazakhstan during a 3-1 victory. Lawrence failed to come off the bench.

John Souttar started both games against Greece for Scotland, as the 3-1 aggregate loss sent the nation back to League B.

It was a mixed bag for the Rangers contingent, but one player certainly made the most of his first international call-up…

Performance in Numbers

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Nico Raskin's incredible display for Belgium

Raskin has arguably been one of the Gers’ finest performers this season, none more so than in the recent Old Firm game when he dominated the midfield and scored the opener.

This led to him being called up for the Belgium squad for their Nations League double-header against Ukraine.

He came off the bench for the final ten minutes during the first leg during the 3-1 defeat, although he did succeed with 93% of his passes and won 100% of his aerial duels despite his limited time on the field.

Having to overcome a two-goal deficit, Raskin was awarded with his first start for Belgium as they defeated Ukranian 3-0 to remain in League A for the next Nations League campaign.

The Gers starlet claimed the Man of the Match award for his performance, which was outstanding to say the least. He completed 91% of his passes during the game, while also making one key pass, winning four of his five ground duels contested and making four tackles.

Deployed at the centre of a three-midfield, Raskin was one of the stars of the 3-0 win, outshining fellow players such as Hans Vanaken and even Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne.

The latter was even hailed as “one of the best players in the world” by Rio Ferdinand just a few years ago and he provided an assist against Ukraine on Sunday evening.

Still, all the talk was about Raskin and how he settled into the midfield with ease, especially with pressure on the country to win by three goals or more to remain in the top division.

The 2026 World Cup starts in just 15 months. If Raskin can replicate these performances between now and then, he will surely be on the plane to North America. That’s for sure.

Rangers can find their new Igamane in 17-year-old who's "making waves"

Rangers have a talented striker who is shining out on loan.

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 23, 2025

Nottingham Forest are determined to keep Callum Hudson-Odoi at the club amid interest from Manchester United and Napoli.

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• Man Utd and Napoli show interest in Hudson-Odoi
• Forest want to keep forward
• Amorim intent on new options

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hudson-Odoi, who joined Forest from Chelsea in 2023, has only a year left in his existing deal. The winger had an impressive outing in the 2024-25 campaign and played a key role in the club securing a European place after 30 years away from continental competition. The 24-year-old scored five goals and provided three assists in 36 games across all competitions.

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  His dazzling performances for Forest have attracted interest from Manchester United as well as Italian clubs AS Roma and Napoli, according to . United had enquired about the player's availability in January but got a firm no at that time. Forest are determined to retain their star winger's services and are reportedly ready to offer a lucrative new deal to the player.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A source close to said: "Talks are ongoing and Forest have presented him with a new deal. But let’s see, because there is also interest from clubs abroad like Napoli and Roma but it’s early days. He was really happy with his season but obviously the hamstring injury at the end was disappointing. He believes he could have helped more but for that so let’s see if he’ll be happy with the deal presented or not."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ruben Amorim is looking for creative options in attack as he looks to rebuild the United squad ahead of the new season. The Red Devils could consider placing an offer for Hudson-Odoi as the summer window progresses.

Ligue 1 giants Lyon have been relegated from the French top flight due to their massive debts which previously surpassed €500m.

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• Lyon relegated to Ligue 2
• Kicked out of Ligue 1 for huge debts
• Can appeal the decision

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lyon, along with several top Ligue 1 sides, appeared before the National Management Control Directorate (DNCG), as they were questioned on their financial health. It has been decided that OL will be relegated to Ligue 2, though Monaco, Nantes and Paris FC escaped punishment.

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  Last year, Lyon reported debts of around €500 million (£418m). However, Eagle Football Group, the consortium that owns French side, activated several financial levers to try and convince the DNCG that the situation at the club has drastically improved, including the sale of Textor’s stake in Crystal Palace and Lyon’s women’s team. However, none of the above steps met DNCG's requirements, and after Lyon were provisionally relegated back in November, that has now been confirmed following this up-to-date financial review.

• WHAT TEXTOR SAID

  Earlier, Textor sounded positive after meeting with the French football financial watchdog, as he told the media that he remained positive about the outcome. He said: "You can see from the contributions of our shareholders, we have invested new capital, not only for the DNCG, but also for our UEFA licensing process. Not to mention the good news of the sale of Crystal Palace. Our liquidity situation has improved considerably."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LYON?

  Lyon can now appeal the DNCG decision, but if their punishment is upheld, the giants of France football will be forced to play in the second division for the 2025-26 campaign.