Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace aim for stepped-up security for their potentially turbulent gathering
In the upcoming Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park, tensions are running high due to an ongoing dispute between the two clubs.
The dispute stems from Nottingham Forest's replacement of Crystal Palace in the Europa League last season, following a decision by Uefa's Club Financial Control Body that Crystal Palace had breached multi-club ownership rules. This decision led to Palace being demoted to the Uefa Conference League.
Nottingham Forest, owned by Evangelos Marinakis, was found to have played a key role in the decision, according to Crystal Palace chairman, Steve Parish. This has not gone unnoticed by Crystal Palace fans, who are planning a protest at the fixture.
The Holmesdale Fanatics, a supporters' group, have described the situation as a "terrible injustice for both our club and the game of football as a whole." The protest is expected to be larger due to the identity of the opponents and Palace's first home game of the season.
Crystal Palace have made it clear that Marinakis will be welcome in the boardroom, but the protest organisers have expressed their intention to target the visitors' team coach upon their arrival. This could potentially lead to increased security measures, with discussions taking place between Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and the Metropolitan Police.
The Metropolitan Police will be in attendance at the game, with a focus on keeping fans and the public safe. Marinakis will also have his own security detail if he attends. The identity of the person from the Metropolitan Police discussing additional protection for the Premier League match has not been publicly disclosed.
Nottingham Forest's safety and security team are in discussions with their counterparts at Palace to assess the level of risk. The court of arbitration for sport upheld Uefa's decision last week, and the Met will continue to monitor the situation for developments.
Steve Parish has implied that the issue of Crystal Palace's ban was related to someone wanting to get in as a consequence, without specifying who that might be. Nottingham Forest wrote to Uefa with their observations about the alleged breach and sent their legal team to attend Crystal Palace's appeal hearing at the court of arbitration for sport.
As the day of the match approaches, both clubs will be hoping for a peaceful and enjoyable game of football, free from any unwanted distractions.
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