Crystal Palace will learn their European fate on Monday – following their high-stakes hearing in Switzerland.
Eagles officials, led by chairman Steve Parish, faced off with UEFA, Nottingham Forest and Lyon in a battle to overturn their bombshell demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Proceedings are likely to close later this afternoon following what is set to be a gruelling 10 hours in Lausanne, with Palace arguing that UEFA’s decision to kick them out of the competition thanks to breaches of their multi-club ownership rules was unjust.
A panel of three senior lawyers will deliver its verdict before close of play on Monday, leaving those involved with a nervous wait over the weekend.
‘It was a long day, very involved, very detailed,’ Parish, who left slightly early thanks to the birth of a grandson, said. ‘It’s very hard to say (how it went). ‘They listened to both sides but I don’t know.’
When asked if he was confident, Parish – who described proceedings as ‘very civilised’ took aim at those involved. ‘Given where we are it’s hard to be confident because it seems dystopian to even be in this situation,’ he said. ‘Hopefully good sense will prevail and we’ll get to the right answer.’
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish admitted it was ‘hard to say’ whether the club’s demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League would be overturned by CAS
Parish is pictured in Lausanne, Switzerland, where Palace officials pleaded their case
Palace were kicked out of the Europa League after breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, and Parish is hopeful ‘common sense’ will prevail and that the expulsion is overturned
He also vowed that Palace would not boycott the Conference League should they fail to win their appeal.
‘It’s been a difficult summer following an amazing triumph,’ he said. ‘We’ve got the Community Shield and whatever happens we’ll be playing in Europe for the first time in our history – that’s what’s important. It will be good to get all this behind us and focus on the future.’
Palace were effectively relegated to the Conference League after a UEFA panel found that US businessman John Textor, whose company held a 43 per cent stake in the club, was in a position of influence at Selhurst Park. Should that decision be upheld, it could cost Palace up to £20m in lost revenue.
Textor’s group, Eagle Football Holdings, also owned French side Lyon, which qualified for the same competition and took priority because they finished higher in their domestic league than FA Cup winners Palace.
Textor has subsequently sold his stake in Palace and was not present at the hearing.
Palace argued that UEFA’s ruling was wrong and are understood to have claimed that double standards were at play, amid allegations other clubs in a similar position were treated differently.
They say Textor only held 25 per cent of voting rights and, as such, had no control over decision making at Selhurst Park.
Forest are due to take Palace’s place and were also represented at the hearing.
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Crystal Palace to learn their European fate on MONDAY – as Steve Parish admits it’s ‘hard to say’ how bid to overturn Europa League expulsion played out