Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor is set to do a drastic thing to ensure the club are allowed to compete in the 2025/26 Europa League.
Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League due to their FA Cup final victory against Manchester City back in May.
On Monday (June 2), the Mail reported that the club were to hold an ‘emergency summit’ with UEFA on Tuesday as they could breach UEFA regulations.
The issue relates to shareholder Textor's ownership of Palace and that of French club Lyon, and the situation surrounding Danish side Brondby.
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Textor owns around 43 percent of Palace and also has majority ownership of Lyon through the Eagle Holdings Group.
However, UEFA regulations do not allow for this.
UEFA regulations are in place to “ensure the integrity of the UEFA club competitions (i.e. UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League)”.
The rules make clear that “No one may simultaneously be involved, either directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition”.
Or “no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition, such control or influence”, such as “holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights; having the right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body of the club; being a shareholder and alone controlling a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights pursuant to an agreement entered into with other shareholders of the club".
It was claimed that, as a result, Palace would be forced to drop to the Conference League, which would then present a similar issue, as Palace shareholder David Blitzer is the majority shareholder in Danish side Brøndby, who are set to compete in the third-tier competition.
Depending on UEFA's decision, it was suggested that Nottingham Forest and Brighton could be the two sides to benefit from Palace's misfortune. Forest would essentially be promoted to the Europa League while Brighton would get the Conference League spot.
But there may be a solution.
The Mail spoke to Textor on Tuesday (June 3) and he detailed his intention to sell his 43 percent stake in the club.
Following a hearing in Switzerland, Textor said: “Look, all of the UK knows that I don’t have decisive influence over Palace. It was a good meeting. They listened, and we'll see what happens. I wouldn't be trying to sell (this stake) if I did.”
He added: “We are trying to help separate it and sell. We wanted to buy, but it’s become clear that isn’t going to happen, and so we’re trying to help Palace and the situation with UEFA. That’s about all I can say.”
UEFA lawyers are now set to consider Palace’s case before making a decision. The draw for the qualifying stages of the Europa Conference takes place on June 17, and a solution will likely have been reached by that date.
Alongside his interest in Palace and Lyon, Textor also has stakes in Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian side RWD Molenbeek.
Topics: Crystal Palace, Europa League, UEFA, Premier League, Football
Luke Davies