Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net
(Credit: Hasan Karim - Breaking Media / Getty Images)
Ben Palmer
Fri 1 August 2025 20:00, UK
Crystal Palace’s expulsion from the Europa League has caused some unforeseen issues for UEFA.
The Eagles were preparing for their first campaign in a major European competition after their FA Cup final victory over Man City granted them a place in next season’s Europa League.
That was until UEFA took issue with John Textor’s ownership of Crystal Palace and French side Lyon.
The American businessman was the majority shareholder at both clubs, which breaks the European governing body’s rules on multi-club ownership [UEFA].
John Textor sold his shares in Crystal Palace.
Textor agreed a deal to sell his Crystal Palace shares to Woody Johnson, owner of NFL franchise New York Jets.
The sale was made in the hopes that UEFA would still allow the Eagles to compete next season, but UEFA have stood firm and decided to relegate the South London side to the Conference League, a decision which they have appealed to the Court of Sports Arbitration (CAS).
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
Instead, Nottingham Forest will take Palace’s place in the Europa League, having finished seventh in the Premier League last term.
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
One unforeseen issue that has arisen from UEFA’s decision is the impact it will have on the qualifying stages of the Europa League and Conference League.
Both competitions’ qualifying stages are now underway, and the qualifying play-off draw for the Conference League, which will include Palace, takes place on 4 August.
However, should CAS overturn the decision to demote the Eagles, that leaves UEFA in a nightmare scenario of having to replay the match, but with Forest in place of the South London club.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley explained: “Ultimately, we don’t know what UEFA will do; they have to work it out.
Oliver Glasner’s record since joining Crystal Palace.
(Credit: Imago)
“The question then becomes more for me around the general sport and integrity issue, because we’re looking at Palace feeling wronged, and there are good reasons why they would.
“But there are other clubs in that competition that might also feel wronged now, because if they’re having to wait for what happens to Palace or they’re impacted by whatever the Palace verdict is, then they’ve got a complaint.
“They’ll say we’ve done everything we needed to do, ‘why are we being punished’?
It’s never just one club it impacts, it’s gonna impact three or four [clubs] and that’s what UEFA has to be mindful of.
“In terms of how they might look to structure that, we don’t know, they’ll have to work out a way, but the sporting integrity piece of the whole competition and other clubs is a really important component of that.”
Palace suffered the setback of being demoted to the Conference League, and they are now facing the prospect of life without Marc Guehi.
The club’s captain is entering the final year of his contract, and the expectation has been that the former Chelsea man will move on this summer.
Marc Guehi is a target for Man United.
For more news relating to Chelsea, visit our sister site Chelsea Latest Live.
![[Valid RSS]](../valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")