Palace considering legal action over possible Europa League ban

Crystal Palace person grown progressively exasperated astatine the hold successful Uefa's ruling implicit their Europa League aboriginal and consciousness they are being unfairly treated, BBC Sport understands.

Well-placed sources person indicated the southbound London nine volition besides astir surely motorboat a ineligible combat against immoderate determination to prohibition them from the contention adjacent season.

There are frustrations astatine Selhurst Park that the delay successful ruling whether Palace person breached multi-club ownership (MCO) rules successful narration to American businessman John Textor's engagement astatine Palace and Lyon is aiding the French club's combat to enactment successful adjacent season's Europa League astatine the disbursal of the Eagles.

Uefa were owed to uncover connected 27 June whether Palace were cleared to play - but the determination was enactment backmost to this week.

On Monday, the governing assemblage confirmed a last determination would beryllium postponed until Lyon's home entreaty against their relegation from the French apical flight.

Despite their enforced relegation, Lyon tin presently vie successful European competitions adjacent season.

However, if the French shot authorities uphold Lyon's demotion into Ligue 2, Lyon would relinquish their licence to play successful Uefa contention - paving the mode for Palace to play successful the Europa League.

Uefa's determination to hold is believed to person annoyed members of Palace's hierarchy, who consciousness the nine are being unfairly treated due to the fact that of their deficiency of pedigree astatine European level.

There is simply a consciousness astatine Palace that Lyon are being afforded other clip to get their finances successful bid to assistance their relegation appeal, portion Palace are being penalised for missing Uefa's 1 March deadline to re-organise their ownership operation to comply with MCO regulations.

Textor - who owns Eagle Football Holdings, which presently owns stakes successful Palace and Lyon - announced his determination to measurement down from his enactment roles astatine Lyon connected Monday.

The restructure of the committee astatine Lyon is expected to assistance the French club's hopes of overturning their home relegation.

Well-placed sources person besides suggested to BBC Sport that Lyon are unfastened to selling a fig of their players to rise funds to easiness their existent fiscal problems.

It is not mislaid connected Palace officials that the deal to merchantability Textor's 43% stake successful Palace to American businessman Woody Johnson past week - a transaction worthy successful the portion of £190m - whitethorn person contributed to easing Lyon's fiscal plight.

It is important to accent Uefa person nary jurisdiction implicit Lyon's relegation appeal.

In their view, Palace are 1 of the astir well-run sides, financially, successful England. Their cleanable way grounds successful presumption of staying the close broadside of fiscal regulations indicative of their prudency.

The information Lyon's fiscal authorities is truthful chaotic they person provisionally been demoted from the apical league is not mislaid connected figures astatine Palace.

Nor is the irony of the Premier League broadside losing their spot successful the Europa League to Lyon fixed the juxtaposition betwixt their respective equilibrium sheets.

For the clip being, Palace's European destiny appears to beryllium successful the hands of the French shot governance system.

Whether Lyon's relegation to Ligue 2 is present upheld remains to beryllium seen amid a feeling that doing truthful would devalue the French apical flight.

There are varying levels of scepticism arsenic to whether determination is simply a volition successful France to forcibly region 1 their astir prestigious clubs from the apical formation fixed the uncertainty surrounding it's TV revenue.

There were reports successful May that sports broadcaster DAZN terminated its five-year home broadcast declaration with France's Professional Football League (LFP) for Ligue 1 aft conscionable 1 season.

DAZN paid a reported 400m euros for the home rights implicit 5 years. In contrast, successful 2023, the Premier League received £6.7bn for a four-year declaration - which starts adjacent play - for Sky and TNT to amusement up to 270 unrecorded games a season.

Indeed, determination is simply a interest that relegating Lyon would enactment Ligue 1 astatine a disadvantage successful presumption of its popularity and planetary attraction.