Soccer-Palace's Europa League demotion would 'devalue the competition', says keeper Henderson
(Reuters) -Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson said that the club's drop from the Europa League would "devalue the competition", as they await the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) decision on their appeal against UEFA's ruling in a multi-club ownership case.
Palace were demoted to the Conference League, the third-tier European competition, by UEFA's Club Financial Control Body in July because John Textor, president of the Eagle Football Group, majority owners of Olympique Lyonnais, also has a controlling stake in the London club.
Ligue 1 club Lyon, which also qualified for the second-tier continental competition, was allowed to compete.
Palace have appealed to CAS against UEFA's decision to remove them from the Europa League, with a closed-door hearing taken place on August 8. A decision is expected on Monday.
"We win the FA Cup, we are justified to be in the Europa League," Henderson told BBC Radio 5 Live after leading Palace to a FA Community Shield victory over Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday.
"For football purposes, we deserve to be in the Europa League. I think it would devalue the competition unfortunately if we weren't in the Europa League."
Palace said in June that New York Jets co-owner Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson had signed a legally binding agreement to buy Eagle Football Holding's stake in the club.
Palace, however, missed the March deadline to comply with the multi-club ownership rules before winning the FA Cup in May to earn their place in European competition.
"I know the chairman (Steve Parish) has fought hard against it and fingers crossed we are in the Europa League like we deserve to be...," Henderson, 28, said. "I am sure they will see sense and put us back in the Europa League."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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