Crystal Palace Fans Begin Series Of Protests Over Europa League Exclusion
Crystal Palace supporters marched through the streets of London Tuesday evening to protest against UEFA's decision to exclude the Eagles from the Europa League.
Hundreds of fans of the south London club gathered at the clock tower in Norwood before marching to Selhurst Park, carrying a banner that read: 'UEFA: Morally bankrupt. Revoke the ruling now.'
'UEFA has taken something away from us unjustly. And we're not going to f—ing stand for it,' said a spokesman for the Holmesdale Fanatics, an ultras-style supporters' group that organized Tuesday's protest.
'This is Crystal Palace's first outing in Europe, and if it was Man City, Liverpool or Real Madrid, there wouldn't be no such problems,' he added.
The group's spokesman also said that Tuesday's march was just the beginning of a series of protests, and they plan to send a delegation to UEFA's headquarters to continue their campaign for justice.
Palace had qualified for the Europa League when they won the FA Cup, the first major trophy in the club's century-plus history. But UEFA announced last week that Palace was barred from entering next season's Europa League for breaching its rule on multi-club ownership on March 1. UEFA's rules state that no individual or entity can have 'control or influence' over two clubs competing in the same competition.
At the time of UEFA's deadline, American businessman John Textor owned a 43% stake in Palace, while also holding a 77% stake in French club Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League.
Palace had argued that Textor does not have decisive influence at the club because his investment in Palace only entitles him to the same 25% voting rights held by fellow co-owners Steve Parish, David Blitzer and Josh Harris. But UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) did not accept the club's argument.
Lyon had been provisionally relegated to the French second division because of the poor state of the club's finances, a decision that meant that they would not be able to participate in the Europa League. But last week, the French club won their appeal against relegation after Textor's investment vehicle Eagle Football Holdings received a cash injection of €87 million ($100 million) from shareholders and a bank guarantee for another €30 million.
Lyon takes precedence over Palace because they finished in a higher position in their league. The seven-time French champions finished sixth in Ligue 1, whereas Palace was 12th in the Premier League.
In June, Textor signed an agreement to sell his stake in Palace to Robert "Woody" Johnson, the billionaire co-owner of the NFL's New York Jets and former ambassador to the U.K. That deal was approved by the Premier League last week, Parish said in an interview with Sky News, and he estimated that the transaction would be completed this week.
'The club was up for sale before the first of March [UEFA's deadline]. Now, we have completed the sale,' Parish said. 'This is the thing that would be even more ridiculous to most football fans: Eagle Football will be a million miles away from us by the time the tournament starts in September.'
UEFA's decision to strip Palace of its place in the Europa League was 'the most ridiculous technicality you could ever imagine,' Parish said. He also reiterated that the club was likely to lodge an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
As it stands now, Palace will compete in Europe's third-tier competition, the UEFA Conference League, a far less lucrative tournament, and their place in the Europa League will go to Nottingham Forest.
But Palace supporters are vowing to continue their fight. The Holmesdale Fanatics said, 'We won the FA Cup. We should be going into the Europa League. That's the bottom line.'
Palace supporters staged a noisy protest against UEFA's decision to exclude their beloved club from ... More the Europa League.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
a minute ago
- New York Times
Atletico Madrid complete signing of USMNT's Johnny Cardoso from Betis
Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Spanish rivals Real Betis. The clubs agreed a fee in the region of of €30million (£25.5m; $34.8m) for the 23-year-old, who has signed a five-year contract at Atletico. Tottenham Hotspur had a first refusal option for the 23-year-old which became active this summer – agreed as part of Giovani Lo Celso's transfer to Betis in 2024 – but the agreement expired on June 10. ¡Bienvenido, Johnny Cardoso! 🇧🇷🇺🇸 Acuerdo con el @RealBetis para el traspaso del internacional estadounidense, que firma por cinco temporadas con nuestro club. — Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) July 16, 2025 Cardoso joined Betis from Brazilian side Internacional in January 2024 and made 65 appearances for the Spanish club, primarily operating at the base of midfield. He played a key role in his side's run to the Conference League final last season, missing just two matches in the European campaign, while also helping his side to a sixth-place finish in the Spanish top-flight, securing Betis a spot in next season's Europa League. Advertisement In February, Cardoso signed a contract extension which added a year to his existing terms with Betis, meaning his contract would run to 2030. The midfielder made his senior USMNT debut as a 19-year-old in November 2020 after making five appearances for the under-23 team. He has since played 22 times for his nation, including in friendly defeats to Turkey and Switzerland in June, before Gold Cup group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Haiti this summer. He withdrew from Mauricio Pochettino's Concacaf Nations League squad in March due to a muscle injury. Atletico will play Champions League football this coming season after their third-place finish in La Liga and competed in this summer's expanded Club World Cup in the U.S.. Analysis by Jeff Rueter While Johnny impressed many clubs with his showings at Betis, his performances with the USMNT have left much to be desired. On the international stage, the midfielder has been error-prone, out of position one minute and playing an ill-advised pass right to an opponent the next. For many of this USMNT generation, consistent playing time is of the utmost importance. Johnny will hope the high fee is indicative of incoming trust and game action, but perhaps even more important will be how Simeone and his staff can refine the 23-year-old's mentality to weather the biggest moments. If so, he could become a first-choice option for Pochettino. ()
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chelsea keeper Petrovic joins Bournemouth
Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic joined Bournemouth in a deal worth a reported £25 million ($33 million) on Wednesday. Petrovic agreed a contract that will keep him at the Vitality Stadium until June 2030. Advertisement The 25-year-old had been at Chelsea since joining from MLS side New England Revolution in 2023. Petrovic, who spent last season on loan at French team Strasbourg, made 31 appearances for the west London club. "I'm really happy to be here. I came to Bournemouth because I want to grow and I want to play at the best level," the Serbia international said. "Together with this club, with these facilities, I think we can achieve it. I want to help the team get the results, improve every day and be a better player." Bournemouth had Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea last season. The Spain keeper has since joined Arsenal on a permanent basis, while Cherries back-up Mark Travers signed for Everton on Tuesday. smg/ea
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
DMN Group unveils two senior hires
DMN Group, a provider of vehicle movement and fleet inspection services, has announced two senior leadership appointments following a period of growth for the business, according to a press release. Gary Xuereb has been named managing director of DMN Fleet Services. In this role, he will oversee day-to-day operations for what the company describes as a "rapidly expanding division." Xuereb previously held the position of group commercial director. Replacing Xuereb, Maria McDonald (formerly Avery) has been promoted to group commercial director. She steps up from her role as account director at DMN Rapid Logistics and will now lead the group's commercial strategy. The company says she brings with her 'customer-centric elements' from her previous post, positioning her to drive strategic growth across the business. These changes come as DMN Group continues to benefit from recent acquisitions, including Specialist Vehicle Logistics (SVL) and JLL Vehicle Distribution. The integration of both companies has 'brought enhanced synergy' to DMN's operations. JLL Vehicle Distribution, in particular, has reported record-breaking results for vehicle movements and revenue in 2025, with growth in contracts, client base, and staffing. Meanwhile, SVL's smooth integration with DMN's IT systems has helped secure new clients and 'driven unexpected growth.' Demand continues to surge across DMN Fleet Services, especially for service, maintenance and repair (SMR), MOTs, and bodyshop services. The company has seen its workforce increase by a third, prompting the need for what it calls 'reinforced management, guidance, and support.' Commenting on the appointments, DMN Group's managing director Nick Chadaway said the business is 'thriving,' adding: 'It all comes down to our processes and our people.' He said both Xuereb and McDonald 'know the business, the sector, and the company inside-out' and are ideally placed to lead DMN into its next phase of growth. "DMN Group unveils two senior hires" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
