Palace await Euro fate as Lyon win relegation appeal

After winning their appeal against relegation, Lyon will play in the league next season.

Due to their poor financial situation, French football authorities last month demoted the seven-time champions to Ligue 2.

Since Lyon has also qualified for the competition, Crystal Palace’s chances of playing in the Europa League next season could be affected by that decision, which has now been reversed.

By the end of the week, Uefa may make a decision regarding Palace’s situation.

Lyon welcomes the decision to keep the team in Ligue 1, according to a statement from Lyon. The appeal committee appreciates the club’s new management’s determination to ensure responsible management in the future.

Due to a alleged violation of Uefa’s multi-club ownership regulations, Palace’s position in Europe is uncertain for the upcoming season.

The case centers on American businessman John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings.

The business currently owns stakes in Palace and Lyon, according to Uefa regulations that state clubs cannot compete in the same European competition if they are owned by the same person or entity at a certain point in the hierarchy.

FA Cup winners Palace have argued that Textor has no real power over the decision-making process, but Uefa have yet to decide whether to support the Premier League side’s defense.

In order to allow Palace to participate in the competition, they had agreed with Uefa to be excluded from the Europa League if Lyon’s relegation had been upheld.

The fate of Selhurst Park fans and Crystal Palace’s Europa League ambitions are now at the hands of Uefa.

By the end of the week, they are awaiting Uefa to decide whether John Textor’s ownership of the club infringes the governing body’s multi-club ownership regulations.

Many Palace residents are upset that the governing body wants to avoid passing a resolution because Uefa has waited to decide whether Textor held decisive control of Selhurst Park.

Uefa cannot appeal the decision for very long because Lyon have won their appeal against relegation from the league one. Would Uefa have already made that decision if they had concluded Palace were not breaking any of their rules?

The Eagles are concerned about that.

Palace’s first competitive start would likely be the European Conference League next year, which would still be their first opportunity to compete against other European clubs.

However, if that happens, Selhurst Park will experience a significant miscarriage of justice.