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Crystal Palace are confident they will be cleared to play in next season’s Europa League even if French club 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 St-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.
Uefa’s club financial control body (CFCB) is believed to be preparing to look into the case, with a decision expected in early June. Regulations dictate that Palace – who can finish no higher than ninth in the Premier League with one game still to play – would miss out due to a lower placing in their domestic league if it decides that Textor’s influence at Selhurst Park goes beyond its restrictions. They include holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights or “being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club”.
It is understood that Palace will argue that the ownership structure at the club which gives Textor’s Eagle Football equal voting rights with co-owners Josh Harris, David Blitzer and the chair, Steve Parish, is evidence that there is no breach of the regulations. It is also understood that Eagle Football is not involved in any aspect of the operational running of the club – another of Uefa’s red lines.
The Guardian reported recently that Textor has held talks with his fellow American shareholders Blitzer and Harris about buying their shares in Palace, which constitute about 36% of the club. He has previously signalled his intention to sell his stake in Palace after growing frustrated at his lack of influence in recruitment and other areas. Palace and Uefa did not comment when approached by the Guardian.
Last month, the Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, placed his shares in a blind trust in order to comply with Uefa regulations on multiclub ownership in anticipation of both Forest and Greek club Olympiakos potentially qualifying for the same competition.
