Seven-time French champion Lyon risks relegation to the second tier at the end of the season and has been hit with a transfer ban because of financial irregularities.

Lyon’s American owner John Textor has insisted there is “no chance” the French side will be relegated from Ligue 1. Textor spoke for two hours at a hastily arranged press conference on Saturday in response to Friday’s decision to provisionally relegate the seven-time French champions to Ligue 2.

On Friday morning, Olympique Lyonnais met with the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog, for their midseason review. Leading up to the review, there had been some concerns that Lyon could