Author: Ed Aarons

• Palace chair ‘very hopeful’ of winning appeal to Cas

• Club’s fans vow to take protest to Uefa HQ in Nyon

Steve Parish has suggested that Nottingham Forest are to blame for Crystal Palace’s demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League, and confirmed the FA Cup winners will appeal to the court of arbitration for sport over Uefa’s decision.

European football’s governing body ruled last week that Palace had breached its multiclub ownership rules, with Forest expected to be promoted to the Europa League in their place. It was revealed last month that Forest had written to Uefa to raise concerns that Palace could be in breach of regulations that bar clubs with the same owner from competing in the same competition if an individual or ownership group is considered to have a decisive influence over more than one of those teams.

• ‘We earned the right to be there and will show support’

• Palace in Conference League after ownership breach

Furious Crystal Palace supporters have demanded that Uefa reverse its decision to demote the FA Cup winners from the Europa League to the Conference League next season as they staged a protest march outside Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening.

It was confirmed last week that Uefa’s club financial control body had concluded Palace breached its multi-club ownership criteria, with the south London club expected to appeal to the court of arbitration for sport (Cas) against a decision that their chair, Steve Parish, described as “probably one of the greatest injustices that has ever happened in European football”.

FA Cup winners feel hard done by after being banned from Europa League due to a breach of multi-club ownership rules

As an emotional Steve Parish said, it felt like “winning the lottery and going to the counter and you don’t get the prize”. Confirmation from Uefa on Friday of Crystal Palace’s demotion from the Europa League to Conference League had been expected since European football’s governing body delayed its decision to await the outcome of Lyon’s appeal against being relegated to Ligue 2.

That did not make it any easier for Parish, who has proudly overseen Palace’s rise from the brink of extinction in 2010 to a first major trophy. When the final whistle blew at Wembley to seal Palace’s FA Cup final victory against Manchester City eight weeks ago, Parish was greeted by a massive bear hug from John Textor, who at that stage was Palace’s largest shareholder, but had spectacularly fallen out with the chair over not being allowed more of an influence.

• Club face threat of demotion to Conference League

• Textor also has majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon

John Textor has insisted that he didn’t have a decisive influence at Crystal Palace as the FA Cup winners await Uefa’s decision on whether they can compete in next season’s Europa League.

Palace are facing the threat of being demoted to the Conference League by European football’s governing body because the American businessman also owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League. The French club have successfully appealed against relegation to Ligue 2, with Uefa having delayed its ruling on Palace last week pending the outcome of Lyon’s appeal.

• Uefa due to deliver Palace ruling this week

• Palace expected to go to court if barred

Crystal Palace’s hopes of playing in next season’s Europa League appear to have been dealt a major blow after Lyon overturned their relegation to Ligue 2.

The seven-time French champions’ demotion over financial issues was imposed last month by the country’s football’s watchdog, the DNCG. But Lyon, who are owned by John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings, have earned a reprieve after an appeal hearing in Paris on Wednesday and are expected to take up their place in next season’s Europa League after finishing sixth last season.

• John Textor-owned Lyon could also reach competition
• Uefa’s club financial control body set to look into case

Crystal Palace are confident they will be cleared to play in next season’s Europa League even if Lyon also qualify despite concerns that they could contravene Uefa’s rules about multi-club ownership.

No individual is permitted to control two clubs that are competing in the same Uefa-run competition, with Lyon owner John Textor also listed as Palace’s largest shareholder at 45%, through his company Eagle Football Holdings. Victory for Paris Saint-Germain against Reims in the French Cup final this weekend would confirm that Lyon qualify for the Europa League after finishing sixth in Ligue 1.

• Tottenham face Bodø/Glimt in semi-final first leg
• ‘It hurts me a lot that we’re having a poor season’

James Maddison wants to reward Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters by winning the club’s first trophy since 2008 and has said a dismal Premier League campaign has made the players more determined to succeed in the Europa League.

Spurs host the Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday after suffering a record-equalling 19th league defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. Although Spurs have reached this stage of the Europa League for the first time since they won its predecessor, the Uefa Cup, in 1984, they have beaten only Southampton in the Premier League since the end of February and are on course for their lowest finish since its formation in 1992.