Crystal Palace denied Europa League spot by UEFA

crystal palace & lyon
crystal palace & lyon

By Liam McLaughlan

Crystal Palace’s Europa League hopes were dashed on Friday following a UEFA ruling demoting them to the Europa Conference League.

The Eagles were found to have been in breach of the organisation’s multi-club ownership rules that permit clubs within the same ownership group from playing in the same competitions.

Majority shareholder John Textor also holds a controlling stake in Olympique Lyonnais, who qualified for the Europa League last season.

Lyon finished higher in Ligue 1 than Crystal Palace did in the Premier League, enabling them to qualify for the tournament over the English club.

Lyon’s lifeline seals Palace’s fate

Lyon looked to be denied the Europa League themselves only a couple of weeks ago due to being relegated to Ligue 2 as a result of their financial problems.

However, the French club has since seen their relegation from Ligue 1 overturned, reinstating their Europa League place next season – essentially blocking Palace from entering the tournament due to Textor’s ownership.

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Steve Parish outraged by the decision

Chairman Steve Parish expressed outrage with UEFA’s decision to demote the Eagles, declaring it the ‘biggest injustice in the history of football.’

“It’s a bad day for football,” Parish said.

“I do believe nobody wants to see this. I don’t think UEFA wants to see this.

“We’ve been locked out of a European competition on the most ridiculous technicality. Supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us.”

The Palace board have long insisted that Textor has no decisive influence on the running of the club and they do not operate within a multi-club structure.

“Everyone knows we’re not part of a multi-club set-up,” added Parish. 

“I don’t know anyone’s phone number there.

“I don’t understand why the panel has come to the conclusion it has done.”

Textor had agreed to sell his 43% stake to Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, but this deal was struck after UEFA’s March 1 deadline for confirming multi-club restructuring.

Palace are expected to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and would likely be fast-tracked to take place before the Europa Conference League draw on August 4.

How do Nottingham Forest benefit?

Nottingham Forest now stand to benefit from the Eagles’ misfortune.

UEFA regulation 4.10 states that the vacated Europa League spot must be given to the next-best-placed Premier League team, which would be Forest.

The promotion to the Europa League would provide a much-needed boost to the Reds, who will be keen to improve on last season’s seventh-place finish.

Having already sold Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £52 million and with Morgan Gibbs-White strongly linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, the club are in urgent need of reinforcements.

Forest are reportedly targeting Malick Fofana from Lyon as Elanga’s replacement. 

However, Lyon’s restored top-flight status threatens this pursuit, likely ratcheting up the Belgian’s price tag.

How could Palace fare in the Conference League?

While the demotion to the Europa Conference League may be financially less rewarding, it could offer Palace a more accessible route to European silverware.

With the tournament usually composed of lower-quality teams, Palace could firmly establish themselves as favourites in the competition early on.

For a club that hasn’t played in a European competition since 1998, this could be an excellent opportunity to secure glory on the continental stage and maintain the club’s positive trajectory.

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Will this impact Palace’s transfer window?

Palace look set for a big summer transfer window, managing multiple ingoings, outgoings, and contract renewals – regardless of their place in Europe’s top competitions.

Reportedly, the Eagles are looking to bring in centre-back Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon as Liverpool continue to circle around club captain Marc Guehi.

They have already sealed the signing of left-back Borna Sosa from Ajax on a three-year deal for a fee of £2 million, adding further depth to their defensive line.

Meanwhile, star player Eberechi Eze is being strongly pursued by Arsenal. 

The Gunners would need to activate the playmaker’s £67.5 million release clause to secure his talents, with the 27-year-old reportedly open to the move.

Palace are also currently negotiating a new deal with striker Jean-Phillippe Mateta.

The 28-year-old Frenchman was the club’s top scorer last season, scoring 17 goals across all competitions.

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By Liam McLaughlan

Liam holds a BA Hons degree in English from the University of Liverpool, graduating in 2022.

He has extensive experience in content writing, SEO, and editing, with a strong eye for detail and a love for storytelling.

A passionate Liverpool FC supporter, Liam is a keen follower of football, taking great interest in everything from the analytics and statistics all the way to the off-the-pitch drama.

Liam is also interested in film and politics, and enjoys reading and cooking new dishes in his spare time.

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