THE PREM fixture list has been plunged into chaos, less than 48 hours after the August match dates were confirmed.
Uefa’s – they are now set to promote to the – will force Prem bosses to rip up their schedule for the third weekend of the season.
With Forest initially due to play their Conference League qualifying round first leg on Thursday August 21, their weekend game – ironically at Selhurst Park – had already been put back to Sunday, August 24.
But the impact of Uefa’s decision will be felt the next weekend.
Prem bosses announced on Wednesday that Palace’s game at would be played on Friday, August 29, with an 8pm kick-off.
With Palace – unless their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is successful – now playing the second leg of their qualifying round 24 hours, the visit to Vila Park will now have to be moved once again, to the Sunday afternoon.
With the September international break following the weekend action, there is no option to move any Prem matches to the Monday evening.
But League bosses may now want to switch Forest’s home match with , which had been provisionally moved to the Sunday afternoon, back to the initially-scheduled Saturday 3pm slot or to fill the Friday night hole.
Palace have yet to comment on their demotion to the Conference League.
But they’re expected to submit an imminent appeal of ‘s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
An excerpt of a Uefa statement read: “The present decision may be appealed against before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 of the UEFA Statutes.”;
Former shareholder John Textor went to extreme measures to try to keep Palace in the Europa League, selling his £190million stake in the club.
But his firesale proved to be too little too late as Uefa have well and truly brought the hammer down on The Eagles.
