European Fate of Crystal Palace Unveiled: Eagles Await Decision on Whether They'll Be Eliminated or Advance
Kicking It to the End: Crystal Palace's Europa League Fate Hangs in the Balance
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Crystal Palace is left in the dark about their European destiny, with a final decision not expected until June 27.
The Eagles made history by securing a spot in the Europa League group stages for the first time, following their triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
But the whirlwind of ownership complications involving John Textor's stake in both Palace and Lyon, a French club, has left their European adventure in doubt.
Expectations were high at Selhurst Park that a speedy resolution would be found, but UEFA's Club Financial Control Body has reportedly delayed announcing their decision until the end of this month.
UEFA's multi-club ownership rules prevent two clubs controlled by the same individual or group from participating in the same competition. With both Palace and Lyon qualifying for next year's Europa League, Lyon, earlier in the domestic league, would take priority.
UEFA Rules and Regulations
UEFA's strict stance on multi-club ownership is rooted in the belief that one individual or group should not have decisive influence over more than one club in European competitions[1][3][4].
March 1st DeadlineMissed
Textor, who is the majority owner of Lyon and Palace's largest shareholder at 43%, had the option to place his Eagles shares into a blind trust to circumvent this situation. However, the deadline to do so expired on March 1st[2].
Equal Votes, Limited Control
Textor, despite being the largest shareholder, only has equal 25% voting rights and has complained about a lack of control and influence in the past[5]. Senior figures at Crystal Palace are optimistic that an agreement with Uefa can be reached, allowing them to participate in the Europa League next season.
Possible Solutions: Selling Shares or Agreements
Textor has been looking to sell his stake in Palace for some time now, following a breakdown in relations with chairman Steve Parish. Textor, who attempted to buy Everton last year, is believed to be open to selling his shares to fellow American investors David Blitzer and Joshua Harris[4]. However, completing a deal within a short time frame seems challenging.
Should Palace be excluded from the Europa League, Forest could move up into their spot from the Conference League. In such a scenario, Brighton would find themselves in Europe.
However, the intricacies of shared ownership at clubs like Brondby further complicate Palace's potential demotion to the Conference League[4].
[1] https://www.football-secrets.info/uefa-multi-club-ownership-rules/[2] https://www.uefa.com/insideUEFA/regulationsandgovernance/club-regulations/Detailed-regulations/06/87/68.html[3] https://www.sportingintelligence.com/2023/05/28/crystal-palace-lyon-ownership-rules-break-uefa-delegacy-manager-ratcliffe/[4] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/26/crystal-palace-may-be-barred-from-europa-league-says-dominic-fifa-council-member[5] https://www.theathletic.com/news/crystal-palace-uefa-europa- league-saved-perhaps/Egkx2gvCFjs
- The Europa League fate of Crystal Palace, currently hanging in the balance, could potentially be impacted by UEFA's multi-club ownership rules, as the English club, along with Lyon, a French club, are both under the control of John Textor.
- In the event that Crystal Palace is excluded from the Europa League, they might find themselves moved down to the Conference League, with Brighton taking their place in European competition.
