CRYSTAL PALACE are facing complete EXPULSION from Europe next season after Uefa rejected a desperate ploy from club shareholders.
The Eagles are facing the prospect of not playing in the , which they qualified for by winning the , due to shareholder John Textor owning a stake in French outfit in Lyon.
Lyon are also set to feature in the competition having qualified with a sixth-placed finish in the last season.
rules prohibit anyone from “simultaneously be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition.”;
The prospect of Palace dropping into the Conference League is also nigh-on impossible as other shareholder David Blizter also has a stake in Danish oufit Brondby, who are set to play in European ‘s tertiary club competition next season.
In a desperate bid to see the Eagles fly across Europe next season and comply with Uefa rules, Textor and Blizter offered to put their shares in a blind trust.
But Uefa chiefs have REJECTED the offer, leaving Palace’s proposed European adventure next season in limbo.
The proposal was rejected as Palace missed the registration deadline to submit it.
Had it been approved, a blind trust would’ve seen a group of trustees take control of Textor’s shares in Palace for the 2025/26 season.
English clubs aren’t strangers to utilising blind trusts so as not to fall afoul of Uefa rules.
Manchester City and utilised blind trusts last season as sister clubs Girona and Nice both qualified for the and Europa League respectively.
Palace held crunch talks with Uefa to try to resolve the potentially devastating issue earlier this week.
And the meeting on the shores of Lake Geneva ended up in Textor putting his shares in the south London club up for sale.
He told The Daily Mail: “Look, all of the UK knows that I don’t have decisive influence over Palace. It was a good meeting.
“They listened and we’ll see what happens. I wouldn’t be trying to sell (his stake) if I did.”;
Textor, 59, added: “”;We are trying to help separate it and sell.
“We wanted to buy but it’s become clear that isn’t going to happen and so we’re trying to help Palace and the situation with UEFA.
“That’s about all I can say.”;
