Worry arises at the palace regarding potential demotion of Europa in the upcoming Community Shield, with transfers on the horizon
Crystal Palace Face Liverpool in Community Shield Amidst Challenges
Crystal Palace are set to participate in the Community Shield, taking on Premier League champions Liverpool on a promising note. Manager Oliver Glasner, who led the team to their first major trophy (FA Cup) in May, expressed his team's eagerness to show their personality in the upcoming match [1].
However, the south London club is facing several challenges. Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah is out for eight weeks due to an injury during pre-season, and midfielder Cheick Doucoure will be sidelined for another two months [2]. Additionally, the team has been passive in the transfer window, with manager Glasner stating that two more players, one at the back and one in attack, are needed [3].
The Community Shield offers a chance for Palace to win a trophy and compete with the champions. However, the club's participation in European competition has been thrown into doubt, as their appeal against their demotion from the Europa League by UEFA has been rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) [4].
The demotion was due to a breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership (MCO) rules. At the time of assessment, Crystal Palace's majority shareholder, John Textor, also had decisive influence over Lyon, who qualified for the Europa League with a higher league position [2]. Despite Textor selling his stake in Palace before UEFA's ruling, CAS upheld UEFA's decision because the regulations are strict and the assessment date deadline of March 1, 2025, was missed. Palace failed to prove no conflict of interest with Lyon by this date [2].
As a result, Nottingham Forest, finishing seventh in the Premier League, will fill the Europa League spot vacated by Palace [2]. Crystal Palace announced they will compete in the UEFA Conference League and continue to seek legal advice about further options [1][3].
Despite these challenges, Glasner remains optimistic. He stated that playing against Liverpool is much better than playing friendlies and expressed that his team is looking forward to competing against the Premier League champions [3]. Eberechi Eze, who scored the FA Cup winner, will be a crucial player in the Community Shield, and his future at the club remains uncertain, with links to a potential move away [5].
References:
- BBC Sport
- ESPN
- Sky Sports
- The Guardian
- The Athletic
In light of the challenges they're facing, including injury setbacks, a weakened squad due to the transfer window inactivity, and demotion from the Europa League, Crystal Palace aim to prove their resilience against Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield. Despite the tough circumstances, the team's eagerness to compete and show their personality still remains strong, with Eberechi Eze, the scoring hero of the FA Cup, poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming match.
