Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest, has initiated legal action against Crystal Palace. The claim, filed at the High Court on Monday, is for defamation over a banner displayed by Palace supporters that depicted Marinakis holding a gun to the head of Morgan Gibbs-White.
Legal Action and Background
The lawsuit is directed at CPFC Limited, Crystal Palace's commercial entity, and "Persons Unknown". The banner was shown during the Premier League match between the two clubs at Selhurst Park on August 24, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The banner read: "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption."
Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has never been charged with any of the stated offences. When contacted by Mirror Football, Palace declined to comment, while Forest did not respond.
FA Action and Fine
In November, the Football Association charged Palace with misconduct over the banner, alleging they failed to ensure supporters did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, or provocative manner. In February, the FA fined Palace £50,000. The ruling noted: "The fact that Crystal Palace had a policy to prevent banners being smuggled into the stadium demonstrates that it was aware of the risk."
Context of the Banner
The banner appeared shortly after Forest retained star player Gibbs-White despite interest from Tottenham. Spurs were understood to have triggered the midfielder's £60 million release clause, but Gibbs-White then signed a new contract with Forest. In a video interview alongside Marinakis, Gibbs-White explained his decision: "I've felt at home at Forest from the moment I arrived. The support from the fans, my team-mates, and everyone around the club has been unbelievable. I believe in what we're building here – and with the backing of [owner] Mr Marinakis and the enormous ambition he has, I want to be part of making something special. I'm excited for what's to come."
Marinakis added: "There was significant interest from various clubs, but we were determined to build our future with Morgan at the heart of it. I promised our fans we would not only compete, but grow stronger and stronger every season. Today is another big step in that journey."
Rising Tensions
Tensions between the two clubs have escalated over the past year. Palace lost their Europa League place after winning the FA Cup in 2025, as UEFA ejected them for breaking third-party ownership rules. Forest took their place in the competition, while Palace were demoted to the Conference League, which they went on to win under Oliver Glasner. Glasner left Palace at the end of last season and has since become Forest's manager, working under Marinakis.
