“I can’t even ride”
Bosse in a dispute: Club owners provoked with cowboy hat
24.02.2025 – 9:38 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The duel Lyon against Paris was not only explosive. John Textor continued to heat the tensions with the PSG president through a cowboy hat.
The duel between Olympique Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain last Sunday went far beyond what was going on on the lawn. Because the competitive match, which Paris won 3-2, also gave a stage between Lyon owner John Textor and PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
Textor was particularly cleaning for this game, with a cowboy hat on the lawn of the Groupama Stadium in Lyon. He kept taking his hat on the crown, presenting himself to the spectators and photographers and then clapped his hands on how a video on the platform X shows. And why? Textor allowed himself a joke after Al-Khelaïfi had previously referred to him as a “cowboy”.
“I was wearing a cowboy hat because I was very confident, but at the moment I don’t feel like a cowboy,” said Textor after the game against Paris. “I didn’t know that he (al-Khelaïfi, Note d. Red.) called me a cowboy, I can’t even ride. I just found it amusing. “
Then Textor fired again against Al-Khelaïfi: “I have nothing personal against Nasser. I just want all clubs to adhere to European laws. It is unacceptable that a team in France wins 20 times in a row.” Textor previously referred to the performance difference in French Ligue 1.
PSG currently leads the table with a 13 -point lead, the distance to the sixth -placed Lyon is even 23 points. According to the textor, the French record champion enjoys excessive advantages compared to other clubs in the league. “Everyone told me I should respect the rules when I arrived in France and I expect the same of everyone else,” Textor continued.
The dispute between the two club bosses was created a few weeks ago. In early January, Lyon’s owner announced against the French league chief Vincent Labrune and PSG President Al-Khelaïfi. In an interview with RMC Sport, he reported on a meeting of the Ligue-1 clubs in summer when it came to TV rights. “He (Labrune, Note d. Red.) hardly opened the mouth. Nasser sat there and led the session. The President of our league only sat there like a lap dog and said nothing, “said Textor.
Al-Khelaïfi, who also owns the TV station Bein Sports, pushed to the fact that his media company was awarded the contract. Alternative ideas he talked into small things, “intimidated” people and “harassed”.
A PSG spokesman fired back a few days after the interview. “It is a shame that you can’t buy great and elegance, because that would have saved Mr. Textor from being ridiculous,” it said in an explanation. The league association showed themselves “surprised” in view of the comments about President Labrune. Above all, because Labrune and Textor had had a “warm exchange” shortly before the interview.