'A bad day for football': Crystal Palace chairman slams UEFA for Europa League 'injustice' | OneFootball

FA Cup winners were set to play in Europe for the first time in their history

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has hit out at UEFA’s decision to demote the Eagles to the Europa Conference League.

Textor sold his shares in Palace before also resigning from his position on the board at Lyon, who themselves won an appeal against the relegation to Ligue 2 over their financial situation.

That appeal appears to have been awful news for Palace, who on Friday were relegated to the Conference League from their initial Europa League qualification, having secured their spot in Europe’s secondary competition thanks to their FA Cup triumph.

However, UEFA has ruled that Lyon will compete in the Europa League, while Palace will play in the Conference League.

Current regulations state that when two sides owned by the same consortium qualify for the same competition, just the one can compete, with that spot going to the side that finished higher in their domestic league.

Last term, Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1, and Palace finished 12th in the Premier League.

Speaking to Sky Sports, an incensed Parish spoke of the “terrible injustice” he believes has been placed on his side.

“We are obviously devastated,” he said. “Most importantly for the supporters; supporters of all clubs should be devastated for it.

“This means something, you win a cup for the first time in your history and it's like winning the lottery and going to the counter and not getting the prize.

“It is a bad day for football, most right-minded football fans will see what a terrible injustice this is for the football club and one that I hope someone can remedy because I do believe that nobody in football wants to see this, I don't think UEFA want to see it.

“Clubs that rightly qualify being locked out on the most ridiculous technicality that you could imagine.”

Parish confirmed that the Eagles were considering taking an appeal to the Court of the Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“We are looking at all options,” Parish said.

“Appealing is one option. I think we would much prefer if someone intervened, we believe it is possible for someone to do that. There are a number of really important points people need to consider.

“First of all there are no other rules around the license which has a deadline. There are still people resolving their issues now, people who have to put money into bank accounts by next week. That date in itself seems an incongruous thing to do.

“This is a rule we cant comply with, a rule has been created that is impossible for the majority owners at Crystal Palace to comply with. A minority shareholder needed either to sell or place their shares in a trust - we had no power to compel them to do that so that part alone is completely incongruous.”

The Eagles chairman protested that Textor did not hold sufficient power over the south London outfit to warrant a conflict of interest.

“John or anyone at Eagle Football Holdings didn't have decisive influence over Crystal Palace,” Parish continued.

“Everyone knows we are not part of a multi-club, no staff, no players, no loans, I don't know the phone numbers at Lyon.

“Everyone can see what a massive injustice this is, we caught a trip with a law that wasn't put in there for us. No one will stick with this law, it's crazy. I don't understand why the panel has come to the law they have come to.

“We have proved to them with all reasonable doubt that John didn't have any decisive influence with the club and yet still they have come up with this decision.”

Parish reasoned that his club had “qualified rightfully” through their victory at Wembley, where they stunned Manchester City 1-0 thanks to Eberechi Eze’s goal.

“We qualified rightfully, something incredibly difficult to do, the players and staff and fans won this cup,” he said.

“We didn't steal it, we beat three teams above us including one of the greatest teams to have played and we didn't get the prize, it is such an incredible travesty of justice and every football fans should be worried when teams of the same name have played in the competition.

“Either you have these multi-clubs or ban them. They need to find a way to get through this, but we were not part of one, everyone knows my position, I generally don't think they are the right thing to do. There is a real crossroads here for UEFA to look at.

“Do they intervene and do the right thing, which I think they want to do, or do they let it play out and see probably one of the greatest injustices that have ever happened in European football?

“I don't want Lyon relegated, that is not what I want. I want to play them maybe and have some fun doing it.

“The punishment does not fit the crime. I am very upset, I think it is a gross injustice. Other people might have a different point of view but I think if they have a think about it then they won't.”