Lyon officially contest PSG’s signing of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | OneFootball

The animosity between Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain has taken another. Tensions between the two clubs, recurrent over the past 18 months in particular, were evident in the run-up to the match between the pair over the weekend. An argument between OL president John Textor and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was leaked in the run-up to the game and the spat between the pair has been played out in public, with Textor in particular accusing PSG and Al-Khelaifi of not acting within Ligue 1’s best interest, to put it mildly.

As a result, Al-Khelaifi didn’t attend Sunday’s game at the Groupama Stadium, whilst Textor turned up wearing a cowboy hat, a reference to Al-Khelaifi’s insult in the leaked video call. PSG won the game 3-2.

PSG contest Almada’s involvement

However, in the wake of that result, Lyon have opted to summon the LFP’s Judiciary Commission regarding the registration of PSG forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (24), who joined from Napoli for a €70m fee in January, as per L’Équipe. OL are leaning on articles 556 and 560 of the regulations. Textor, in his letter to the LFP, has stated that the transfer was only made possible by the financing of the club (PSG), which goes against the rules, which prohibit foreign subsidies. Kvaratskhelia’s registration as a PSG player therefore goes against the LFP’s own rules, OL argue.

Textor has been a regular critic of PSG’s financing, through their owners Qatari Sports Investment (QSI). The American has even threatened to take the case to the European Court of Justice. Whilst OL have officially contested Kvaratskhelia’s involvement, PSG, in turn, have also officially contested Thiago Almada’s participation. The Argentine joined on loan in January from partner club Botafogo, despite Les Gones being under a transfer ban.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle