Crystal Palace face wait over Europa League ruling

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Crystal Palace are expected to have to wait until the end of the month to find out if they are able to play in the 2025-26 Europa League, according to sources with knowledge of the process.

The Eagles hierarchy travelled to Switzerland on Tuesday to discuss with Uefa officials about their participation in the competition.

Uefa rules forbid individuals from having control of more than one club in the same competition to avoid conflicts of interest.

Eagle Football – the multi-club group owned by John Textor which includes a minority shareholding in Palace – owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon, who have also qualified for next season’s competition.

Palace are arguing that Textor – who has repeatedly tried to sell his stake with the club – does not have decisive control.

League places are used to determine who gets to play in the competition and given the French side finished sixth, they get priority over Palace, who ended 12th in the Premier League.

How did Palace get here?

Palace qualified for the Europa League by beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup.

Lyon finished sixth in the French top flight to initially gain a spot in the Conference League, but were promoted to the Europa League competition after Paris St-Germain – already qualified for the Champions League – won the Coupe de France.

Through Eagle Football, Textor – who initially invested £90m into Crystal Palace in 2021 – owns around 45% of the club and 90% of Lyon.

The American was appointed a director and joined co-owner Steve Parish, Josh Harris and David Blitzer on the board.

In January 2022, he invested in Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian side RWD Molenbeek. Eagle Football still has controlling interests in both sides.

He became the owner of Lyon in June 2022.

Because Eagle Football has only has a 45% stake in Palace, the club is not part of the group’s multi-club organisation. Palace have not signed a player from any of those clubs, although Jake O’Brien, now at Everton, did move to Lyon from their academy.

Textor has tried to purchase a controlling stake in Palace in the past because it is thought he would prefer to have overall control of the club.

However, he has more recently tried to buy Everton and also sought a buyer for his Palace shares.

In an interview with the BBC last year, he said he does not run Palace – chairman and co-owner Parish does – although he can share his views.

He also conceded the pair disagree on their views over multi-club ownership.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis recently diluted his control at the club by placing his shares in a blind trust, when it looked like both Forest and Olympiakos – another club the Greek businessman owned – may both qualify for the Champions League.

But sources close to Eagle Football believe putting those Palace shares in a ‘blind trust’ is not an option because Textor and Eagle Football do not have decisive influence over the Selhurst Park outfit.

Related topics

  • Europa League
  • Premier League
  • Crystal Palace
  • Football

Crystal Palace face wait over Europa League ruling

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Crystal Palace are expected to have to wait until the end of the month to find out if they are able to play in the 2025-26 Europa League, according to sources with knowledge of the process.

The Eagles hierarchy travelled to Switzerland on Tuesday to discuss with Uefa officials about their participation in the competition.

Uefa rules forbid individuals from having control of more than one club in the same competition to avoid conflicts of interest.

Eagle Football – the multi-club group owned by John Textor which includes a minority shareholding in Palace – owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon, who have also qualified for next season’s competition.

Palace are arguing that Textor – who has repeatedly tried to sell his stake with the club – does not have decisive control.

League places are used to determine who gets to play in the competition and given the French side finished sixth, they get priority over Palace, who ended 12th in the Premier League.

How did Palace get here?

Palace qualified for the Europa League by beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup.

Lyon finished sixth in the French top flight to initially gain a spot in the Conference League, but were promoted to the Europa League competition after Paris St-Germain – already qualified for the Champions League – won the Coupe de France.

Through Eagle Football, Textor – who initially invested £90m into Crystal Palace in 2021 – owns around 45% of the club and 90% of Lyon.

The American was appointed a director and joined co-owner Steve Parish, Josh Harris and David Blitzer on the board.

In January 2022, he invested in Brazilian club Botafogo and Belgian side RWD Molenbeek. Eagle Football still has controlling interests in both sides.

He became the owner of Lyon in June 2022.

Because Eagle Football has only has a 45% stake in Palace, the club is not part of the group’s multi-club organisation. Palace have not signed a player from any of those clubs, although Jake O’Brien, now at Everton, did move to Lyon from their academy.

Textor has tried to purchase a controlling stake in Palace in the past because it is thought he would prefer to have overall control of the club.

However, he has more recently tried to buy Everton and also sought a buyer for his Palace shares.

In an interview with the BBC last year, he said he does not run Palace – chairman and co-owner Parish does – although he can share his views.

He also conceded the pair disagree on their views over multi-club ownership.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis recently diluted his control at the club by placing his shares in a blind trust, when it looked like both Forest and Olympiakos – another club the Greek businessman owned – may both qualify for the Champions League.

But sources close to Eagle Football believe putting those Palace shares in a ‘blind trust’ is not an option because Textor and Eagle Football do not have decisive influence over the Selhurst Park outfit.

Related topics

  • Europa League
  • Premier League
  • Crystal Palace
  • Football

Modi inaugurates strategic railway project in Indian-administered Kashmir

One of India’s most ambitious railway projects, which will for the first time connect the Kashmir Valley to the vast Indian plains, has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 272-kilometer (169-mile) line, which runs through Srinagar, the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir, begins in the garrison city of Udhampur in the Jammu region and ends in Srinagar, one of the most challenging tracks in the world. The Himalayan region, which is divided between India and Pakistan, is at its end in Baramulla, a town close to the highly militarized Line of Control.

The total project cost is estimated to be about $5 billion, according to the Indian government.

The railroad line will make it possible for people and goods to move along dangerous mountain roads and by air while also facilitating the passage of troops through 36 tunnels and 943 bridges.

Before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashmir rail link, schoolchildren gesture as they board the coach of the Vande Bharat passenger train.

A 1, 315-meter (4, 314-foot) steel and concrete bridge connecting two mountains with an arch 359 meters (1, 177 feet) above the water is one of the project’s highlights. The bridge was constructed over 120 years and can withstand extreme weather, including wind speeds of up to 260 km/h (161 mph), according to Indian Railways, which compares its height to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which is 330 meters (1, 082 feet).

Before boarding a test train through picturesque mountains and tunnels to the ceremony for another high-elevation bridge named Anji, Modi waving an Indian tri-color flag while under tight security at the Chenab bridge.

According to Modi, the railroad “ensures all weather connectivity” and will “boost spiritual tourism and provide livelihood opportunities.”

The prime minister also contributed to the launch of two brand-new “Vande Bharat” trains, which will cut the route time between Srinagar and Katra in the Jammu region by about three hours from the customary six to seven hours by road.

Modi
Before the Indian Prime Minister’s announcement of the Kashmir rail link in Srinagar, an Indian security officer watches outside the Srinagar railway station.

Modi’s first visit to Indian-controlled Kashmir on Friday is his first since a military conflict between India and Pakistan last month, when the two countries launched missiles and drones at one another.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir, a shooting incident that left 26 men, mostly Hindu tourists, dead in late April contributed to the conflict. Islamabad refuted the claim that India had blamed Pakistan for supporting the attackers.

Both India and Pakistan both control Kashmir, but they also assert total territory in Kashmir.

Since 1989, armed groups have been fighting New Delhi’s rule in Kashmir’s area, which is under Indian control. Many Muslims in Kashmir back the rebels’ efforts to unite the region, either through Pakistani rule or as an independent nation.

Marseille ‘in talks’ with England midfielder Gomes

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Angel Gomes from England is wanted by Marseille in a free transfer.

The 24-year-old, who won his first four senior starts under interim manager Lee Carsley last year, made the announcement in May that he would leave Lille when his contract expires this summer.

The Ligue 1 side is hopeful that they can secure his transfer in the near future, according to reports that discussions are moving in the right direction.

Gomes has made 134 appearances for Lille since making the switch from Manchester United in 2020, scoring 10 goals and contributing 19 assists.

Tottenham and West Ham were also interested in the midfielder.

related subjects

  • Marseille
  • Football in Europe
  • Football
  • Men’s football teams from England

Marseille ‘in talks’ with England midfielder Gomes

Images courtesy of Getty

Angel Gomes from England is wanted by Marseille in a free transfer.

The 24-year-old, who won his first four senior starts under interim manager Lee Carsley last year, made the announcement in May that he would leave Lille when his contract expires this summer.

The Ligue 1 side is hopeful that they can secure his transfer in the near future, according to reports that discussions are moving in the right direction.

Gomes has made 134 appearances for Lille since making the switch from Manchester United in 2020, scoring 10 goals and contributing 19 assists.

Tottenham and West Ham were also interested in the midfielder.

related subjects

  • Marseille
  • Football in Europe
  • Football
  • Men’s football teams from England