Blow to Crystal Palace's Europa League hopes as relegated Lyon strike deal with UEFA
Crystal Palace 's hopes of playing in next season's Europa League were delivered a blow on Friday when Lyon announced that they had reached an agreement with UEFA to play in the competition.
The south London club qualified for Europe in the first time in their history when they won last season's FA Cup with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Man City in the final.
However, their participation in the Europa League has been under threat due to UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership. Eagle Football Holdings — who have a 43 per cent stake in the club — are also the owners of Lyon.
UEFA prevent clubs who share owners competing in the same compeition and, under their rules, Lyon are set to take the Europa League spot because they finished higher (sixth) in their domestic league than Palace (12th).
John Textor, who owns the group, has agreed to sell the stake in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson in a desperate attempt to keep the south London side in the competition.
A decision on whether that will be enough to allow both clubs to compete in the competition has been expected by the end of the month after Palace official flew to UEFA HQ in Switzerland for a crunch summit.
Palace hopes were raised this week when Lyon were relegated from Ligue 1 following an audit of their finances by Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion (DNCG), the body responsible for overseeing the finances of French football clubs.
Lyon's demotion was seen by a 'game-changer' by insiders at Selhurst Park who believe that they should now be regarded as the higher-placed club should only one of the two clubs be allowed into the Europa League.
Lyon, however, released a statement on Friday which suggests they are still in the box seat.
'After validating its financial viability procedure, Olympique Lyonnais (OL) has signed an agreement with UEFA's club financial control body,' the statement read.
'The club could thus participate in the Europa League competition next season, subject to a favorable outcome during the appeal of the DNCG's decision.
'OL thanks the UEFA representatives who supported it in this procedure.'
Palace remain confident of finding a resolution given that no facilities, players or resources are shared with Lyon.
The relegation of the club, who faced off against Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-finals last season, will mean former Premier League stars could line up in the second tier next season.
Former United and Chelsea man Nemanja Matic is on the club's books, as well as ex-Arsenal duo Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Alexandre Lacazette.
They are seven-time Ligue 1 champions, last winning the league in 2008 — their seventh domestic title in a row.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Critics warn Sir Keir's screeching welfare U-turn will now result in a 'two-tier' benefits system and a £3billion tax bombshell to pay for it
Sir Keir Starmer 's benefits climbdown will create a 'two-tier' benefits system with families facing a £3billion tax bombshell to pay for it, critics warned last night. And that will be on top of the £1.25billion bill caused by the Prime Minister's screeching U-turn over winter fuel payments for pensioners. Experts warned the £4.25billion black hole in the public finances caused by the backsliding will probably force Chancellor Rachel Reeves to plug it with more tax rises in her autumn Budget. The Prime Minister was humiliatingly forced to hand Labour 's welfare rebels the concessions in a bid to avoid defeat in a crunch vote on benefits cuts on Tuesday. The compromise deal last night looked like it had peeled off enough of the 126 rebels to pass the vote. However, as many as 50 were still threatening to rebel unless the vote was pulled. The reforms had originally been forecast to save the Government £5billion a year by the end of the Parliament. Charity bosses and Labour MPs still planning to rebel also warned the new proposals would create a 'two-tier' benefits system because existing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants will keep their current level of disability payments. But new claimants after November 2026, when the changes are scheduled to kick in, would be entitled to as much as £4,000 a year less on average, even if they suffered from the same condition which meant they couldn't work. Before the U-turn, both existing and future claimants were facing stricter eligibility conditions for the daily living component of PIP, a working-age benefit for those whose health condition increases their living costs. The concessions on PIP alone protect some 370,000 people currently receiving the allowance who were set to lose out following reassessment. Meanwhile, existing claimants of the universal credit (UC) health element, paid to those with a condition which stops them working, will have their payments protected in real terms. However, new claimants will see it halved and frozen. According to calculations by the Resolution Foundation think tank, the PIP and UC reforms will cost £1.5billion each. Sir Keir yesterday branded his own climbdown 'common sense' and refused to rule out tax increases to pay for it in an interview. During a visit to RAF Valley in Wales, he said how the Government intended to pay for it would be revealed in the autumn Budget, adding: 'The changes still mean we can deliver the reforms that we need and that's very important because the system needs to be a system that is fit for the future. 'All colleagues are signed up to that, but having listened, we've made the adjustments. The funding will be set out in the Budget in the usual way.' Yesterday's climbdown is hugely embarrassing for Sir Keir as it highlights the scale to which he failed to read his MPs' mood over the proposed cuts, with rebels having spoken out for months. Care minister Stephen Kinnock dismissed criticism that the Government was in chaos and that Sir Keir was not 'competent', insisting that the process had been 'positive and constructive' and that the PM was someone who 'gets stuck into fixing problems'. Care minister Stephen Kinnock (pictured) dismissed criticism that the Government was in chaos and that Sir Keir was not 'competent', insisting that the process had been 'positive and constructive' and that the PM was someone who 'gets stuck into fixing problems' But Kemi Badenoch said the debacle left benefits claimants facing 'the worst of all worlds'. Speaking to reporters on a visit to North West Essex, the Tory leader said: 'I think we're seeing a government that is floundering, a government that is no longer in control despite having a huge majority. I don't see how they're going to be able to deliver any of the things they promised if they can't do something as basic as reducing an increase in spending. 'It's a real shame because what they're doing now with this U-turn is creating a two-tier system... this is the worst of all worlds.' Arch rebel Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, said: 'These revised proposals are nowhere near good enough, and frankly, are just not well thought through. It would create a two-tier system in both PIP and the Universal Credit health element based on when somebody became disabled.' Sir Mel Stride, the Shadow Chancellor, said: 'Labour promised not to raise taxes on working people, and their Jobs Tax has led to rising unemployment and growth being halved. Now the Government has been unable to rule out that taxes will go up this autumn in order to pay for Keir Starmer's latest U-turns.'
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Man City star James McAtee insists he has no regrets about playing at U21 Euros over the Club World Cup after captaining England to final against Germany
James McAtee insists he has no regrets at choosing the Under-21 Euros over the Club World Cup after captaining England to Saturday night's final. McAtee spoke to Pep Guardiola and staff at Manchester City and made his case to go away with England, rather than form part of City's squad in the United States for the Club World Cup, where they are now into the last-16. Asked if making the final against Germany justified his decision, McAtee spoke with clarity and conviction in response. 'I don't regret my decision at all,' he said. 'I'm happy I'm here and my focus is here and not on the Club World Cup.' Part of McAtee's thinking was that England's Under-21's would give him a greater portion of game time in a summer where his club future is under scrutiny. Competition for City first team places is fierce, not helped by the midfield additions of Rayan Cherki Tijjani Reijnders this summer. McAtee's decision indicated that his future likely lies away from City this summer and he is not short of admirers. Bundesliga teams who were keen to sign him in January remain in the frame this window. Bayer Leverkusen, who continue to seek a replacement for Liverpool's £116million summer signing Florian Wirtz, Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Red Bull Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, who signed McAtee's England team-mate Jobe Bellingham earlier this summer, have all expressed varying degrees of interest. AC Milan, having sold Reijnders, admire McAtee while in England, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves, Everton, Leeds United, Manchester United, Fulham and Spurs have at one time this summer asked to be kept informed of developments.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Ravens star Kyle Hamilton announces engagement to high school sweetheart Reese Damm
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton is engaged to his high school sweetheart, Reese Damm. The defensive back shared an image of him getting down on one knee in front of a gorgeous waterfront vista in France with flowers, candles, and photos laid out to set the scene. Photos also showed off the beautiful emerald-cut diamond engagement ring now on Damm's finger. A number of his Ravens teammates, the team itself, and other NFL stars left comments of congratulations underneath the post. The couple have been dating for a number of years and even went viral back when the former Notre Dame man got drafted in 2022. Hamilton and Damm showed off a distinct handshake after he was selected by Baltimore 14th overall. View this post on Instagram A post shared by kyle hamilton (@kyledhamilton) Damm and Hamilton both attended the Marist School outside of their native Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating high school, she attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a bachelors degree in Public Relations and Image Management. While in college, she interned at a number of sports PR agencies in hopes of pursuing that side of the business as a career. However, she also has pursued a number of more creative passions - such as music. So far, Damm has released two EP's and a single, which are streamable on Apple Music, Spotify, and TIDAL. Damm does work in PR for a day job as a digital specialist at Zest Social Media Solutions. As for Hamilton, he's developed into one of the best safeties in the NFL in a matter of three years. He's been named to the All-Pro team twice - earning first-team honors in 2023 and second-team honors in 2024. He was also named to the Pro Bowl in both those seasons. Hamilton has tallied 250 tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles (one recovery), five interceptions, and one defensive touchdown across his career so far.
