Latest news with #Crystal Palace
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Crystal Palace ultras deliver suitcase of fake money to Uefa HQ in protest to Europa League ruling
Aggrieved Crystal Palace fans have taken their protests directly to Uefa 's doorstep, flying out to the governing body's Switzerland headquarters to fight against their club's demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League. Palace had qualified for the Europa League through their stunning FA Cup victory over Man City, a historic first major trophy in the club's history. However, Uefa has ordered the Eagles to play in the third-tier European competition for breaching multi-club ownership rules. The club crucially missed a March 1 deadline to demonstrate that American co-owner John Textor, also a part-owner at Lyon, had no control or influence over more than one club in the same competition. Uefa's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) decided Textor's interest in both clubs meant only one could enter the Europa League, with Lyon 's higher league position of sixth edging out Palace, who finished the Premier League campaign in 12th. Nottingham Forest are expected to benefit from the Eagles' demotion, replacing them in the Europa League following their seventh-place league finish. After hundreds of supporters made their feelings clear in an initial protest outside Selhurst Park, The Independent understands that members of Palace ultras Holmesdale Fanatics - who organised the first march - today travelled to Uefa's HQ in Nyon, Switzerland to combat the perceived injustice head-on. It was revealed in a statement that they gained access to the building to hand deliver a letter addressed to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, which demanded a reversal of 'this moral injustice' and Palace's reinstatement into the Europa League. The group also presented Uefa with a suitcase of fake money, which represented 'the contradictions between their supposed 'fundamental values' of integrity and fairness, and the reality of their business methods and general conduct'. Uefa declined to comment when approached by The Independent. Following the protest in Nyon, they travelled to the Lausanne headquarters of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reiterate their desire to have the ruling overturned. This came less than two hours before CAS confirmed that Palace had lodged an appeal against Uefa, Forest and Lyon regarding the alleged breach of multi-club ownership regulations. The appeal procedure will be expedited with a decision expected on or before August 11.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Former Crystal Palace and England star Geoff Thomas, 60, conquers Tour de France stage after beating cancer and arthritis - and urges his old club to build new stadium
As a lean-looking Geoff Thomas offers his reflections against the stunning backdrop of the Alps, it's hard to believe he'll celebrate his 61st birthday next month. Thomas, a former FA Cup final captain with Crystal Palace and capped nine times by England, has just cycled past the fashionable ski resort of Courchevel as part a steep climb on the 18th stage of his seventh Tour de France. It is a remarkable feat for anyone let alone a cancer survivor with two arthritic knees, a legacy of his earlier professional career. One of the joys of the Tour is that amateur riders can ride the course a few days before the elite professional riders. Thomas first took part in 2005 – a couple of years after his own diagnosis of myeloid leukemia that required a stem cell transplant – and every ride has raised substantial sums of money for Cure Leukeumia to distribute drugs, run clinical trials and helping to pool information from different health units. At the beginning of this year, Thomas thought competing again on the 20th anniversary of his first tour was a pipedream due to grade four arthritis in both knees, a result of multiple cruciate injuries during his playing days. However, a new injection, Athrosamid, became available and allowed him to train pain-free. The reward will come on Sunday when he crosses the Tour's finish line in Paris having ridden more than two thousand miles. He's approximately the same weight today (76kgs) as during his football career and is understandably proud of what he is about to achieve. 'The Tour is a brutal event, particularly the climbs of 25 or 30 miles in the mountains. I don't think I would like to be a professional cyclist. It is a tough old game,' he acknowledges. 'I initially thought I'd do a week but I've stayed to the end. 'Professor Craddock, my partner in Cure Leukemia, saved my life when I had the illness. It is a great cause which delivers hope to patients. It's what keeps me motivated to do silly things like this!' Thomas played for seven clubs including Nottingham Forest and Wolves but is best-known for his spell as captain at Palace, who took Manchester United to a replay in the 1990 FA Cup final and then finished third in the old First Division. 'A lot of people in the game still call me Skip. The manager Steve Coppell would say I led by example rather than holler, but others might say different! 'When you play alongside people with the quality of Ian Wright, I wasn't scared of speaking my mind when they weren't performing. But he admits the Tour is 'brutal' and says he would not fancy being a professional cyclist 'They might have had so much more ability but you recognise when they aren't pulling their weight. That is what leadership is all about. It is about cajoling and recognising when someone might need a little kick up the backside.' Thomas was at Wembley in May to see the club win the first major trophy in their history, beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup. His own successful Palace team broke up with Wright, Mark Bright and later Nigel Martyn sold for big money. He thinks the long-term answer this time to keeping star assets Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta is moving out of Selhurst Park to a bigger stadium. 'If Palace go well again and do well in Europe, people are going to come knocking. Realistically, I think Palace could be top eight,' says Thomas. 'In my time, we were promised a new stadium with new facilities, and it's still being talked about. 'It would be nice to see Crystal Palace have the stadium that is fit for this current time. The team is there for it. The fans are there for it. It is a balancing act with the money men, when is the right time. 'It is a difficult choice but I think that is the way you are going to keep these players in the future. Thomas believes Palace can become a top-eight Premier League side if they move to a bigger, more modern stadium 'Everton are leaving Goodison Park. There aren't many old stadiums like Selhurst Park any more. Times move forward, don't they? 'I don't want to put pressure on Steve (Parish) but I think it would be nice for Crystal Palace to play in surroundings fit for these times. They have the players to grace a new stadium. It would be an added bonus.' So far, Parish's summer has been taken up with contesting Uefa's decision to demote the club from the Europa League to the Conference League because of shareholder John Textor's stake in both The Eagles and Lyon. Thomas describes the decision as a 'mess' but though feeling the decision unfair, doesn't think it should define Palace's season. 'I think a bigger club than Palace would have had a better chance of getting past a situation like this,' he says. 'Whatever the outcome, there will be a time to look forward to entertaining football in Europe.'
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
AC Milan register interest in Jean-Philippe Mateta
AC Milan have signalled their interest in signing Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace, according to L'Equipe. Off the back of an eighth-place finish last season, Milan are keen to bolster their options in attack as they prepare for life under Massimiliano Allegri. The Rossoneri were previously keen on last season's Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui, who is, however, set to move to Saudi Arabia. Milan have also been linked with Dusan Vlahovic, although the Serbian's wages are proving to be a sticking point. Milan's search for a new striker has now led them to Mateta off the back of an impressive form over the past two seasons, during which he scored 36 goals in 85 appearances across all competitions, while also winning the FA Cup. Known for his physicality, aerial ability and clinical finishing, the Frenchman offers a blend of strength and skill. Mateta was linked with an exit last summer, and while a move did not materialise, the 28-year-old hinted that his future in South London was uncertain. 'The club didn't want to sell me, so I moved on, and I gave everything to the team to help us get better results than those we achieved last year,' he said via GFFN. 'And when it is the right time to ask those questions, we'll ask them.' With just one year left on his current deal, Palace are keen to tie Mateta down to a long-term contract, but he is reportedly willing to depart Selhurst Park amid interest from several clubs. However, Palace's asking price of over €30 million for Mateta is said to have put Milan off at the moment, and the Serie A outfit could be forced to turn to other alternatives.
France 24
11-07-2025
- Business
- France 24
Crystal Palace demoted to UEFA Conference League for multi-club breach
US businessman John Textor owns a stake in the Eagles and is the majority owner of French club Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League. Under UEFA multi-club ownership rules, Lyon have been allowed to keep their place in the second-tier competition of European football as they finished higher in Ligue 1 (6th) than Palace (12th) in the Premier League last season. Palace qualified for European competition for the first time by winning the FA Cup in May - the club's first ever major trophy. Textor has since agreed to sell his 43 percent stake in the London club to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. However, that deal is yet to be completed and was struck well after UEFA's deadline of March 1 for multi-club conflicts to be resolved. A decision on Palace's fate had been delayed by a separate case that initially saw Lyon relegated to the second tier of French football due to financial problems. The seven-time French champions won an appeal against that decision on Wednesday after Textor stood aside from the day-to-day running of the club. Palace are expected to appeal the verdict to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Nottingham Forest, who had qualified for the Conference League by finishing seventh in the Premier League last season, will replace Palace in the Europa League, a UEFA source told AFP.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Europa League place 'a welcome distraction from transfer woes'
The selfish decision would have been to hope Manchester City won the FA Cup. But who could deny the football romantic's dream of Crystal Palace finally winning a major trophy? If Pep Guardiola's side had lifted the cup on 17 May then Nottingham Forest, already guaranteed European football, would have gained a place in the Europa League without all the furore that has followed.I, for one, was happy that the Eagles had some silverware in their cabinet - and hoped Forest would see their own way into the Europa League, or even the Champions League. But at the end of the day - to use a football cliche - it all comes down to merit; you get what you course, if you have broken the rules - inadvertently or not - then you get what you deserve. While it feels cruel to deny Palace what they have achieved, there is a reason Evangelos Marinakis put his shares into a blind trust. The south London club will feel unfairly treated - but only in the same way that it felt when the Reds were docked points last year for falling foul of the PSR is a messy affair and football authorities on both sides of the Channel are not making a lot of friends beyond the top clubs, who are rarely punished in this fashion. But who are we to look a gift horse in the mouth? If Forest are to take Palace's place, then there will no play-offs to navigate next month, with a bigger prize to season, winning the Europa League last season was worth about £26.5m while, in contrast, the Conference League was only just over half at £15m. But beyond revenues, the winner takes a place in the Champions the current Europa League holders, Tottenham Hotspur's new-found wealth has been the cause of anguish at the City Ground this week with a £60m move for Morgan Gibbs-White, following fellow Champions League qualifiers Newcastle United's £55m bid for Anthony Elanga. A place in the Europa League would be a welcome distraction from transfer woes, and something to seriously look forward more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external
