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Topics: Crystal Palace, Premier League, UEFA, Europa Conference League, Europa League, FA Cup
Ryan Smart
Topics: Crystal Palace, Premier League, UEFA, Europa Conference League, Europa League, FA Cup
Premier League club Crystal Palace will hold talks with UEFA over their place in European football next season amid a potential breach of multi-club ownership rules, it has been reported.
Palace won the FA Cup - their first major trophy - last month after beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley.
They are set to play in the Europe for the first time as a result, having qualified for the Europa League.
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But the Daily Mail's Mike Keegan reports that their spot in that competition is not yet totally secure, as they will hold an 'emergency summit' with UEFA on Tuesday.
The issue relates to majority shareholder John Textor's ownership of Palace and that of French club Lyon, and the situation surrounding Danish side Brondby.
The American businessman owns around 45 per cent of Palace, and also has majority ownership of Lyon through the Eagle Holdings Group.
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Lyon - who recently reported staggering debts of over €500 million - qualified for the Europa League by finishing sixth in Ligue 1, with UEFA regulations banning two clubs owned by the same party from competing in the same European competition.
Those regulations also state that, if a conflict was to occur, the club who finished in the higher league position would be awarded the qualification spot.
The Mail claim that Palace have officially declined to comment, but it is understood that they are 'confident' of their participation in the Europa League as Textor only holds 25 per cent of voting rights at the club and 'does not make decisions in his own right'.
But if a worst-case scenario does occur, competing in the Conference League may be an issue as Palace co-owner David Blitzer - who only has around 10 per cent of the shareholding at Selhurst Park - is the majority owner of Brondby, who have qualified for that competition by finishing third in the Danish Superliga.
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A scenario could then take place whereby Nottingham Forest are 'promoted' from the Conference League to the Europa League, with Brighton then taking the Conference League spot via their eighth-placed finish in the Premier League.
SPORTbible have contacted Crystal Palace Football Club for comment.