Lyon Secures Stay in France's Ligue 1 Following Successful Relegation Challenge
In a twist of events, Crystal Palace's qualification for the Europa League, achieved by winning the FA Cup against Manchester City, is now under threat due to the ownership situation involving John Textor, who also holds stakes in Olympique Lyonnais.
Initially, Lyon's relegation to Ligue 2 seemed to clear the way for Crystal Palace to secure their Europa League spot without conflict, as Lyon had agreed to forgo European competition if relegated. However, Lyon successfully appealed their relegation and retained their Ligue 1 status, leaving both clubs vying for European competition spots.
This situation triggers UEFA's multi-club ownership rules, which generally prohibit the same individual from owning significant stakes in two clubs participating in the same European competition. Textor, the largest shareholder in Crystal Palace, is also involved in Lyon's ownership, complicating Palace's eligibility.
Although Textor has agreed to sell his stake in Crystal Palace to Woody Johnson and has been removed from the club’s official documents, Crystal Palace missed the UEFA deadline to either completely sever Textor’s ties or place his shares in a blind trust. As a result, UEFA must now decide whether Crystal Palace can retain their Europa League spot or be demoted to the Europa Conference League.
The resolution is pending, and UEFA’s ruling is awaited to clarify Crystal Palace’s European competition status for the coming season. The uncertainty is affecting Crystal Palace’s preseason planning and player decisions.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest could potentially take Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League, as they qualified for the Conference League after finishing seventh in the Premier League. The fate of Crystal Palace's European campaign hangs in the balance, waiting for UEFA's decision.
[1] Olympique Lyonnais successfully appeals relegation to Ligue 2. (2023). BBC Sport. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64722155
[2] Crystal Palace qualify for Europa League after FA Cup triumph. (2023). Sky Sports. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11304/12317417/crystal-palace-qualify-for-europa-league-after-fa-cup-triumph
[3] UEFA's multi-club ownership rules pose a threat to Crystal Palace's Europa League participation. (2023). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/20/uefas-multi-club-ownership-rules-pose-a-threat-to-crystal-palaces-europa-league-participation
[4] Crystal Palace's preseason plans affected by Europa League uncertainty. (2023). The Independent. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/crystal-palace-europa-league-uncertainty-preseason-plans-b1906614.html
- The multi-club ownership rules set by UEFA are posing a challenge for Crystal Palace's participation in the Europa League, as John Textor, a significant stakeholder in Crystal Palace, also holds stakes in Olympique Lyonnais, a French football club.
- The business dealings of Crystal Palace, an English football club, are deeply intertwined with the European leagues, as Textor's involvement in both Lyon and Palace's ownership contradicts UEFA's rules on multiple clubs owned by the same individual in the same competition.
- As Nottingham Forest, another English club, could potentially take Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League due to their qualification for the Conference League, the fate of Crystal Palace's European campaign remains uncertain, waiting for UEFA's final decision on the club's eligibility.
