Ligue 1 release statement after Crystal Palace owner calls president ‘lapdog of PSG’
Yesterday at 05:04 PM
Ligue 1 have issued a statement to hit back at Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor’s explosive comments about Paris Saint-Germain.
Lyon‘s majority shareholder Textor, who has a 45 per cent stake in Palace, has escalated his feud with PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi.
The American launched his latest verbal barbs at his Qatari business rival, who is also in charge of the BeIn Sports media group.
Among Textor’s numerous jibes, the 59-year-old dubbed Vincent Labrune, the head of Ligue 1, PSG’s ‘lapdog’.
The Lyon owner slammed the link between Labrune and Al Khelaifi as unacceptable because of the conflict of interest it creates.
“I wasn’t aware of the protection that comes institutionally. I was not really focused on the dominance of this one man [Al Khelaifi] on the European Club Association, on the executive committee of UEFA,” Textor told French radio show RMC.
“I was completely shocked in July to be in the meeting of the presidents [of Ligue 1] to discuss viable alternatives on the TV rights deal and the president of the league [Labrune], who should’ve been running the meeting, barely opened his mouth.
“And Nasser sat there and ran the meeting and should not have even been in the meeting because he is an interested party with his own TV channels,” Textor continued.
“And every time anybody would raise an alternate idea, Nasser would bark at them and intimidate and bully. And the president of our league just sat there like a lapdog, didn’t say anything.”
Textor’s feud with Al Khelaifi has been threatening to boil over since the summer, with PSG hinting at legal action over the former’s ‘defamatory and damaging statements’ about their club.
“So no I wasn’t aware that the league was so incredibly dominated by this man [Al Khelaifi],” Textor added.
“I was not aware, I think of the influence from PSG on the league and even on the DNCG [the French FFP regulator].”
Ligue 1 have now waded into the row by issuing a statement of their own on Monday, responding to the comments from Textor.
It read in part: “We were surprised to see John Textor’s comments.
“We are even more amazed of the words used by John Textor as [we] had a very cordial discussion this afternoon.”
In addition to Textor’s accusation over an alleged conflict of interest, OL’s owner also has tensions with Al Khelaifi over Ligue 1’s TV rights.
Lyon starlet Rayan Cherki is said to be a keen summer transfer target for PSG – with the French champions failing to land him last year.
However, the 21-year-old remains under contract until 2026, and Textor doubled down to claim he wouldn’t sell players to PSG.
He added to RMC Sport: "Today? No, it won't happen.
"I don't want to sell a player of this quality to Nasser until we've shaken hands, shared a beer and decided together to help the French championship.
"Obviously, my relationship with Nasser isn't what it used to be, but men are men and you can get past that. But for the time being, no, I won't sell him anyone."
Textor previously found himself in hot water over an interview with Brazilian publication Globo in July that took aim at PSG.
He said he was competing against ‘a country, not an owner’ and that PSG were a ‘model of unbridled spending, without restrictions’.
As reported by BBC Sport, a letter signed by PSG's general secretary Victoriano Melero argued that if Textor continued to push such an agenda then would issue legal action.
