Taylor Swift relegating Lyon? The French giants will be hoping that with bad form this season, they can simply Shake It Off
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lyon could be relegated this season, with a little help from Taylor Swift, as the country-pop sensation could play a huge role in the Ligue 1 relegation battle.
But there's no Bad Blood between the pair: fallen French giants l'OL are struggling at the foot of the table this season following a Cruel Summer in which big-hitters Houssem Aouar, Castello Lukeba, Bradley Barcola and Malo Gusto all left.
Now Swift could become the Anti-Hero of their season (we'll stop now, OK?), with a scheduling conflict falling at a bad time for the seven-time champions of France.
Lyon are in deep trouble in Ligue 1 (Image credit: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
With Lyon currently bottom of the 18-team division, a side who last made the Champions League semi-finals in 2020 – knocking Manchester City out, no less – could have to play in a relegation play-off, as is tradition in France and Germany.
The only snag? The home leg is already booked up. Les Gones clearly didn't think that they'd be busy that night – and agreed to let Taylor headline the Groupama Stadium on Sunday, June 2 and Monday, June 3 before she heads over to Blighty for three sold-out shows in Edinburgh.
Naturally, Lyon fans should be worried about even getting to 16th – the hallowed position in which they'd be thrown into this playoff – but even if they do get to that point, they may have to play the game elsewhere… and lose their all-important home advantage.
Taylor Swift's Eras tour may bring much-needed excitement to Lyon's stadium for the night (Image credit: Hector Vivas/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Swift's latest tour is a critically acclaimed, three-hour extravaganza featuring cuts from all 10 studio albums released so far. The Pennsylvanian songstress began touring the world in March of this year and isn't scheduled to end until December 2024, with barely a Blank Space (last one, promise) left in the calendar to reschedule.
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Taylor will be at plenty of European football grounds, including the Bernabeu, Wembley, Anfield, San Siro and the Johan Cruyff Arena. With such a huge European side in danger of relegation, however, 2024 might bring the end of a couple of Eras…
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
