CRYSTAL PALACE have LOST their appeal to be reinstated into the Europa League.
The Eagles were demoted to the Conference League by UEFA last month due to multi-club ownership rules.
GettyCrystal Palace have lost their appeal to be reinstated to the Europa League[/caption]
PAPalace will now play in the Conference League – despite winning the FA Cup[/caption]
RexIt means Nottingham Forest will take their place in the Europa League[/caption]
Europe’s football governing body deemed them to have remained part of the same group as Lyon after the March 1 disengagement deadline – despite John Textor, majority owner of Eagle Football Holdings, selling his stake.
Palace subsequently submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to get reinstated.
However, that has now been dismissed.
A panel at an in-person hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, last week found that Textor had shares in Crystal Palace and Lyon and was a board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA’s assessment date.
It also dismissed the argument that Palace had unfair treatment in comparison to Lyon and Nottingham Forest.
It is understood that club officials will consider their legal options.
Crystal Palace will remain in the Conference League as a result, with Nottingham Forest keeping their place in the Europa League.
The latest development comes as a huge blow for Palace just one day after their Community Shield victory over Liverpool.
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Oliver Glasner led the Eagles to their second trophy at the weekend.
Crystal Palace beat Liverpool on penalties to secure the silverware at Wembley.
The Reds took the lead through new boy Hugo Ekitike just four minutes into the clash.
Jean-Philippe Mateta then equalised from the penalty spot before Jeremie Frimpong fired Liverpool back in front.
The Premier League champions retained their lead for the majority of the match until Ismaila Sarr levelled the score in the late stages.
Dean Henderson was the hero in the shootout, limiting Liverpool to just two goals.
After the match, Crystal Palace boss Glasner admitted that he would not trade the Shield for a successful appeal.
He said: “No. The players were not scared of noise around us.
“Tomorrow we have no influence, so we celebrate tonight, meet tomorrow for lunch then training. We can’t think about it.”
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Henderson said: “We win the FA Cup, we are justified to be in the Europa League.
“For football purposes we deserve to be in the Europa League. I think it would devalue the competition unfortunately if we weren’t in the Europa League.
“Things that are won on the pitch should be rewarded and I think every neutral football fan would agree with that. Let’s see.
“I know the chairman [Steve Parish] has fought hard against it and fingers crossed we are in the Europa League like we deserve to be.
“I know Crystal Palace fans have waited 120 years, maybe even longer, for the first trophy and chance to go on a European tour.
“To have that taken away from us is just not right for football and I think everyone would agree with that. I am sure they will see sense and put us back in the Europa League.”
Why the dismissed appeal is BETTER for Palace
THE Crystal Palace fans who will doubtless intensify their animosity towards Uefa and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis will not like it, writes Martin Lipton.
But the CAS decision to confirm the Eagles’ demotion to the Conference League is the BEST thing for the Selhurst Park club.
Palace supporters at Wembley on Sunday broke out into a lengthy rendition of a four-letter chant, ending “F*** Uefa. F*** Uefa. And f*** Marinakis.”
The Forest owner’s intervention and complaint, resulting in the City Ground club leapfrogging the FA Cup winners into the Europa League, ensures the gripe will fester.
Yet if Palace are to make their European bow, making club history after 119 years, it is better for them to play in Uefa’s third-tier competition – for lots of reasons.
European football takes its toll on strong squads. On Uefa rookies, unused to the demands, even more so.
Oliver Glasner may have won the Europa League with Frankfurt but the Bundesliga side made their Euro bow in 1959. It was hardly uncharted territory.
Palace, by contrast, have never been there before.
Playing in the Europa League would mean eight matches into the initial league phase, including two at the tail end of January, when players are already overloaded.
But the Conference League is six matches, completed by mid-December.
More importantly, assuming they can navigate the two legged play-off round, likely to be against Norwegians Fredrikstad, look at the sides they would be competing against.
Italians Fiorentina will be the top-rated side, followed by Alkmaar, Rapid Vienna and Sparta Prague. Hardly giants.
Germany’s representatives are Mainz, with relative minnows Real Vallecano from Spain and Strasbourg completing the “Big Five” league teams.
This is a competition Palace can win. And will think they can win.
The prize for that – silverware, once again, but also a ticket to the Europa league next season – when they would be really ready to step up.
Financially, too, the difference between the Europa League and Conference League is not so great.
While Spurs and Manchester United started with around £12m without kicking a ball, it will be nearer £6m in the Europa League for Forest, compared to around £4m in the lower competition for Palace,
That is due to them having a far lower Uefa coefficient because of their lack of European history.
And now, even more than before, the fans and club are united in a common cause.
Glasner spoke in the aftermath of the Wembley win, pointing out: “We have a great connection between the team, the club and our fans.
“Every Crystal Palace fan is very proud of being a Crystal Palace fan, is very proud of where they are from, is very proud of having this togetherness and supporting the team.
“And every player is very proud wearing the shirt and playing also for our fans, who appreciate that the team always gives 100 per cent for the Eagle.”
That bond will have grown stronger. It will fuel them through the entire Conference League campaign.
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