LONDON; Crystal Palace will almost certainly appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being dropped from the Europa League into the Conference League because of UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership.

Palace were jubilant last season after winning the FA Cup, knowing that their first major trophy also secured Europa League access. However shareholder John Textor was also the majority owner of Lyon. They had finished higher in the French league [sixth] than Palace in England [12] and thus took precedence over Oliver Glasner’s men.

Textor did sell his 43pc Palace stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson but that was long after UEFA’s ownership change deadline of March 1. Hopes that Palace’s status would be maintained by Lyon’s relegation in France for financial problems were quashed after the French club’s reinstatement on appeal.

On Friday UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body ruled Palace should drop down into the third European competition, swapping places with Nottingham Forest.

Chairman Steve Parish described the decision as “one of the greatest injustices that has ever happened in European football.”

He added: “We are devastated. It’s like winning the lottery and not getting the prize. It is a bad day for football. Most right-minded fans will see what a terrible injustice this is, clubs that rightfully qualify for a competition being locked out on the most ridiculous technicality. It is an incredible travesty of justice.”

A club statement said an appeal to CAS was under consideration.

Glasner has remained silent on the issue. In fact, Palace are still in Europe for the first time in their history and in potentially a less-challenging competition which has been won by West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea last season.

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