CRYSTAL Palace have officially been banned from the Europa League and relegated to the Conference League.
The Eagles won the FA Cup in May after Eberechi Eze’s goal secured a 1-0 win over Manchester City and the club’s first major domestic trophy.
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Qualification to Uefa’s second biggest club competition ordinarily comes with winning the FA Cup.
But Palace won’t feature in the Europa League next season – SunSport brings you the reason why.
Why have Crystal Palace been relegated to the Conference League?
Crystal Palace have been banned from competing in the Europa League for being in the same multi-club ownership group as French giants Lyon after the Uefa disengagement deadline of April 30.
The ban was expected after Lyon won their appeal against relegation to Ligue 2, which allows them to feature in the Europa League following their sixth-placed finish in the French top flight last term.
John Textor is Palace’s largest shareholder and the owner of Lyon.
The American businessman recently agreed to sell his shares in the London club to billionaire Woody Johnson, but the sale has not been completed and is deemed too late.
Uefa chiefs have ruled that Palace must play in the Conference League and make a European bow in a play-off next month – with Nottingham Forest promoted in their place.
And it will cost Palace an immediate £3.9m in Uefa appearance money – boosting Forest by the same amount.
The Eagles are certain to appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to get the ruling overturned.