Crystal Palace supporters have organised a protest against UEFA's decision to demote the club from the Europa League to the Europa Conference League. The ruling, announced on Friday, follows the reversal of Lyon's relegation from Ligue 1 due to financial difficulties.
UEFA regulations prohibit clubs owned by the same consortium from competing in the same competition. John Textor's Eagles Football Holdings Ltd holds controlling stakes in both Lyon and Crystal Palace, prompting the demotion. Textor is currently in the process of selling his stakes in both clubs.
The decision has sparked backlash from Palace fans and the board. Club chairman Steve Parish called it a 'bad day for football' and a 'terrible injustice'. The Holmesdale Fanatics, an ultras group, have announced a protest on Tuesday, where fans will gather at the clock tower in Norwood before marching to Selhurst Park.
The Fanatics' statement read: 'We welcome supporters of all teams to join us: those who are disillusioned with the state of modern football, those who are tired of the authorities favouring a small cartel of larger clubs all in the name of profit and those who want to bring football back to the fans, where it belongs.'
They added: 'We must come together for our voice to be heard around Europe. This will not be an isolated action, but the beginning of the campaign against those responsible for the moral and financial corruption that has plagued the modern game. Let us remind UEFA and the CAS that this ruling can, and should, change.'
