Source:REUTERS/Peter Cziborra
[Saba Sports News] FA Cup winners Crystal Palace were originally set to qualify for the Europa League after defeating Manchester City at Wembley. However, UEFA ruled that the club violated multi-club ownership regulations, awarding the spot instead to Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League. Palace’s disqualification stems from their shared ownership with Lyon, a fellow Europa League participant. Lyon is controlled by American businessman John Textor, whose Eagle Football Holdings also holds a 43% stake in Crystal Palace. UEFA’s arbitration panel deemed this arrangement a breach of regulations, leading to Palace being “demoted” to the Europa Conference League while Forest took their Europa League place. In response, Palace has filed lawsuits against UEFA, Nottingham Forest, and Lyon, demanding the reinstatement of their Europa League qualification and the exclusion of either Forest or Lyon. Their key argument is that Forest was granted additional time beyond UEFA’s March 1 deadline to resolve their own multi-club ownership issues, while Palace was held to the strict deadline. The club insists on full transparency, demanding UEFA release all key documents and communications to prove alleged double standards.