Fresh off a near perfect start to 2026, Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso has admitted that John Textor’s departure has made a world of difference.

Textor was forced to give up his job as OL president in the summer after the league’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, rejected his financial proposals and ratified an administrative relegation.

In order to secure their Ligue 1 survival Lyon replaced him with Michele Kang from their women’s team and put guaranteed cash on the table.

Since then Paulo Fonseca’s side have had a fine season, top of the Europa League table, they began 2026 with a 3-1 win over top four rivals Monaco, and Tolisso was asked about the change in mood at the club.

“Those who took over from (Textor) have done an extraordinary job,” he admitted.

“The difficulty when OL is talked about negatively on social media also impacts us on the pitch.

“Today, working in such a healthy atmosphere feels great. It’s definitely better, let’s not kid ourselves.”