Among the clubs that made history in the world of football, there were many that over time fell into complicated situations for various reasons. These stories are interesting not only for the Club’s fans, but for all football fans, and at the same time they are textbooks for other clubs. Recently, the situation of the famous French club “Lion” has put it back on the agenda. In this article, in addition to Lyon, we will look at the periods of collapse of teams such as Sevilla, Valencia, Saint-Etienne, Bordeaux, Deportivo and Parma.
“Caspian” newspaper article on the subject.
How did “León” get into this situation?
Considered one of the strongest clubs in France, Lyon were national champions seven times in a row in the early 2000s. The bright times began in 1987, when Jean-Michel Olan became the owner of the club. In addition to winning national championships, the “León” was able to compete with great teams on a continental scale. At the same time, the club’s academy was France’s main “football factory”. But after the last French championship in 2008, the collapse began. True, the club subsequently managed to recover and play in the Champions League semi-finals in the 2019/20 season. However, poor financial management led the “Lion” to be dragged into the debt swamp. In 2022, when Ola sold the club to American businessman John Textor, the debt amounted to more than 300 million euros. Over the next two years, this figure exceeded 500 million euros. If it is not possible to correct the situation and reduce debts at the end of the season, the “Lion” will be relegated.
The plight of the record holder
When talking about the Europa League, most fans think of the Spanish club Sevilla. The representative of Andalusia is the team that has won the most in this tournament, formerly called the UEFA Cup. But now the team is far from its former glory. In Seville, unlike Lyon, management deficiencies are at the forefront. The wrong decisions of the sports director and the head coach and the failed transfers lead the team to a crisis. Although the Club managed to strengthen its position in world football with its records, things are not going well, especially in La Liga. The team that ranked 14th last season is ranked 13th this season. It seems difficult to improve the situation with this movement.
The “bats” fall into the debt vortex
Valencia was one of the hegemonic clubs in Spain at the beginning of the century. The team was twice proclaimed national champion and even played in the Champions League final. The “bats”, rich in historical ups and downs, are in decline again. This process takes more than 15 years. The lack of financial stability and failed projects led the club to a crisis. The construction of the new stadium, which began in 2009, was left unfinished for this reason. The Singapore owners, who bought the club in 2014, were also unable to fix the situation. Valencia is currently in last place in the league standings. The question arises as to how the club will get out of this quagmire and whether it will be able to recover. At this point it seems like a very difficult mission.
The weakened emperors of France
There are clubs in France in a worse situation than Lyon. “Saint-Etienne” and “Bordeaux”, once the strongest in the country’s football, are currently fighting for existence.
“Saint-Etienne” was the team with the most titles in France with 10 championships for many years. Only PSG has managed to leave him behind with the success it has achieved in recent years. In the last 10 years, “Saint-Etienne” has attracted more and more attention due to its financial problems. After changing hands several times, the club was finally relegated in the 2021/22 season. However, Saint-Etienne found strength and returned to Ligue 1 after two seasons. Currently, the team is trying to maintain its place in the elite.
The situation in “Bordeaux” is more serious. The six-time French champion now has to compete in the fourth division. The reason is the same: poor management. The club, which is one of those that suffered the most from the coronavirus pandemic and fell into debt due to a sharp decrease in income, has now also lost its professional status. The team plays in the fourth league with amateur status.
Deportivo lives in memories
Nostalgic fans undoubtedly remember Deportivo from the beginning of the century. The representative of La Coruña, champion of Spain in 2000, managed to play in the semifinals of the Champions League in 2004. But the successful results did not last long. In 2011, “Deportivo”, whose name is even used to manipulate match results, was relegated. In recent years, the club was even relegated to the third league. Starting this season the team plays in the Second League and the goal is to return to La Liga. It is interesting that even when he played in the third league, around 30 thousand fans came to Deportivo’s matches.
The unforgettable star of Italy
“Calcho” fans fondly remember “Parma” from the late 90s and early 2000s. The club, which once had a concentration of big stars, is now trying to strengthen itself in Serie A, where it has returned. The decline that began in 2004 caused the club to declare bankruptcy in 2015. Even the owners of “Parma” had to sell many of the trophies won by the Club at auctions to pay off debts. Parma, which began to play in the semi-amateur Serie D, knew how to regroup and return to the elite. But it is far from its former glory.
These stories of failure show that the success of football clubs is not only achieved on the field, but also in management. Poor management, financial problems and short-term strategies can change the club’s history in a negative direction. Time will tell whether or not these clubs will regain their former glory.
