Palace Await European Fate As Lyon Hearing Commences

Crystal Palace will move a step closer towards discovering whether they can play in next season’s Europa League with Lyon’s appeal against their relegation from Ligue 1 set to start on Wednesday.

The French club’s hearing, which will be crucial towards Uefa’s decision as to whether Palace can compete in the Europa League, has been brought forward after initially being due to take place at the end of this week, multiple sources have told BBC Sport.

French football authorities have demoted Lyon into Ligue 2 due to their poor financial state.

But the club have appealed against the decision, with French football’s watchdog now set to rule over whether to uphold the relegation or hand Lyon a reprieve.

If Lyon maintain their Ligue 1 status, the French side would likely keep their place in the Europa League, potentially at Palace’s expense.

If their relegation is upheld, Lyon have agreed with Uefa to be excluded from the competition – clearing the way for Palace to play in the competition.

The uncertainty over Palace’s European spot next season stems from a perceived breach of Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules.

Eagle Football Holdings – owned by American businessman John Textor – is at the centre of the case.

The company currently owns stakes in Palace and Lyon, with Uefa rules stating that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.

Palace argue that Textor does not hold any decisive influence, but Uefa are yet to rule over whether they accept the Premier League side’s defence.

However if a verdict is reached on Wednesday, Uefa says it is unlikely to reach its own decision until the end of the week.

European football’s governing body delayed its ruling on the case until the French authorities has made a decision on Lyon’s league status.

Bbc.com