CRYSTAL PALACE ultras have unveiled plans to stage a noisy protest march against Uefa’s “unjust” decision to boot the Eagles out of the Europa League.
The Eagles are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over their relegation to the Conference League for breaching multi-club ownership rules, with chairman Steve Parish brandishing it “ludicrous”.
GettyCrystal Palace ultras have announced plans to hold a protest against the club’s ‘unjust’ relegation from the Europa League next season[/caption]
AFPPalace lost their place in the Europa League due to John Textor’s multi-club ownership[/caption]
American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Palace and is also the majority owner of French club Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League next season.
The rules of European football‘s governing body state clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.
Uefa‘s rules set a deadline of March 1 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.
Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, could replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa League next term.
And now raging Palace fans have planned a protest to start from Norwood Clocktower to Selhurst Park on Tuesday night at 7:30pm.
The ultras are demanding answers and hinted at unfair treatment from Uefa, who they claim are often influenced by other clubs with more “prestige and money”.
A statement from the Holmesdale Fanatics read: “Uefa‘s decision to demote Crystal Palace to the Conference League is a terrible injustice for both our club and the game of football as a whole.
“A team has won the oldest cup competition in the world and, with it, its first piece of silverware in the club’s history.
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“A dream not unique to Palace fans but one shared by supporters of clubs across the country.
“To then have the deserved prize of Europa League football unjustifiably taken away is emblematic of a European football governing body disconnected from the true values that makes the sport adored by fans everywhere.
“It is indicative of why so many fans have fallen out with the modern game.
“We call this protest not just for Palace’s position in the Europa League to be reinstated, but with all football fans in mind.
“Many clubs could be the next to be ruled against for lacking the historical prestige and financial resources to influence Uefa for their own gain.”
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It will take for around 12 minutes for the marchers to get from the meet-up point to Selhurst Park.
2021 Sebastian Frej/MB MediaPalace are appealing against the decision to boot the club out of the Europa League[/caption]
A timeline – why Palace have been demoted
March 1: Uefa’s deadline passes for clubs in multi-club groups to change their ownership structure.
At that point, Crystal Palace were 12th in the Premier League and in the FA Cup fifth round.
April 30: It is revealed Evangelos Marinakis has removed himself from control of Nottingham Forest, putting his shares into a blind trust when it looked like Forest would qualify for the Champions League alongside Olympiakos, also owned by the Greek billionaire.
May 17: Palace win the FA Cup by beating Manchester City 1-0 and qualify for the Europa League.
On the same day, Lyon qualify for the Europa League on the final day of the Ligue 1 season. But Lyon face the prospect of Uefa sanctions for over spending rules.
May 25: Forest fail to qualify for the Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season but reach the Conference League instead, so Marinakis takes back control of the club.
June 3: Uefa meet with Palace executives in Switzerland to discuss whether the Eagles are able to play in Europe next season.
John Textor and Steve Parish attend the meeting to fight Palace’s case.
June 9: It is revealed Forest have written to Uefa warning that Palace could be in breach of Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules.
June 25: It is announced that Lyon have been relegated from Ligue 1 after failing to convince authorities they have resolved their financial difficulties.
July 9: Lyon’s appeal is upheld, meaning they are reinstated to Ligue 1 and their spot in the Europa League is confirmed.
July 11: Palace’s demotion to the Conference League is announced by Uefa, with the Eagles saying they will appeal the decision.
As FA Cup winners, Palace won a spot in the Europa League for the 2025/26 campaign after beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley eight weeks ago.
But that was brought into question with Lyon finishing sixth in Ligue 1 and earning their own Europa League spot.
Palace stand to lose £3.9m up front in prize money and can win a maximum £18.4m from the Conference League, compared to a minimum £9.1m and potential £33.5m from a successful Europa League campaign.
Textor – who Palace argue did not have overall control of the club – sold his 43 per cent stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson – albeit after the March 1 deadline.
He then resigned from his leadership roles at Lyon when they were relegated to Ligue 2 after failing to convince authorities they have resolved their financial difficulties.
This appeared to pave the way for Palace’s Europa League participation.
But, there was further uncertainty on Wednesday when Lyon won their appeal against their relegation and were reinstated to Ligue 1 – meaning they are able to take up their Europa League spot.
GettyTextor also owns French club Lyon, who qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in Ligue 1[/caption]
Palace chairman Steve Parish slammed ‘ludicrous’ Uefa for permitting ‘the biggest injustice in the history of football’
Palace argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club, but the Premier League side’s defence was not accepted.
Club chief Steve Parish slammed “ludicrous” Uefa for permitting “the biggest injustice in the history of football”.
Parish said on Friday that Johnson had passed the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test and that everyone at Palace feel they have been made an example of by Uefa.
Uefa rejects any claim that Palace have been harshly treated. It regards the case as a clear breach of the regulations, saying on Friday it had reached that conclusion after an “assessment of the documentation submitted” by Lyon and Palace.
Forest’s place has not yet been confirmed, with Uefa‘s Club Financial Control Body waiting until the outcome of the Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal – which is due before the draw for the Conference League play-off round on August 4.
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