The email that could save Crystal Palace
The European Club Association (ECA) told several multi-club ownership groups in October that the March 1 deadline, which has been used to eject Crystal Palace from the Europa League, was not set in stone.
In the email, the ECA, which is run by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, said that Uefa would allow outstanding issues to be resolved up to May 31.
Uefa announced last week that Palace were to be demoted from the Europa League because they did not resolve multi-club ownership issues relating to former shareholder John Textor, by a deadline of March 1. Uefa's club financial control body, has been adamant that the deadline, moved earlier for this season only, is sacrosanct. However, there is mounting evidence that is not the case.
The ECA negotiates the distribution of all revenue from Uefa club competitions, with discussions between Al-Khelaifi and Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin about who earns what from the most lucrative competitions in football. As a consequence, when the ECA advises clubs on Uefa policy, as in this October 25 email, member clubs can assume that the governing body's position is being outlined.
Multi-club ownership issue resolved, but not in time
The ECA declined to comment but it is understood it believes the email in question reflected its understanding of Uefa's position in October. Uefa, it is believed, then changed its position in November. Nevertheless, Telegraph Sport understands that many clubs approached the end of the season believing that they had time solve any multi-club ownership issues beyond March 1.
The whole Uefa case against Palace rests on whether the March 1 deadline applies. Other clubs – including Chelsea, Barcelona and Aston Villa – have all negotiated fines for financial breaches as recently as this month.
Palace's argument has long been that the March 1 deadline is arbitrary and that, in good time for next season, the club has extricated itself from any possible multi-club ownership problems. Textor sold his 43 per cent stake in Eagle Football, which also owns Lyon, to US billionaire Woody Johnson on June 23.
Nevertheless, Palace have been told by Uefa that on the basis of Textor historically owning a stake in Palace and Lyon, it is the French club that will take the Europa League place. Palace chairman Steve Parish has pointed out that Textor had no decisive influence on the club, and that Palace and Lyon shared no resources – players, staff or infrastructure.
Forest were also in breach of the rules
Palace's Europa League place will be taken by Nottingham Forest, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis also owns more than one club and also did not meet the March 1 Uefa deadline to solve this problem: Marinakis did not divest himself of his directorship of the Premier League club until April 29.
In the event that was academic, with Forest failing to qualify for the Champions League and thus not establishing a possible multi-club ownership breach by entering the same competition as Olympiakos, Marinakis' Greek club. Nevertheless, Uefa has refused to disclose any correspondence about Forest's multi-club ownership issues. That has prompted concern among the three clubs, including Palace, that have lost Uefa places because of multi-club ownership problems.
Uefa has advised multi-club ownership groups that a 'blind trust' structure is acceptable for the purpose of its rules. Other multi-club organisations – including the Red Bull group, City Football Group and Ineos – have complied with Uefa regulations by transferring part or all of the ownership temporarily to a blind trust so that teams within the group can play in the same Uefa competition.
Speaking in 2023 to a US podcast, Ceferin admitted that Uefa turned a blind eye to multi-club ownership. He said at the time: 'There are clubs – or at least one – where we still pretend it's not the same owner [as another] but it's the same owner, and I will not tell you which. You can guess.'
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