Crystal Palace Fight UEFA Demotion, Maguire Misses U.S. Tour, Wissa Sparks Exit Talks

Crystal Palace have taken their battle to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after UEFA demoted them from the Europa League to the Conference League over multi-club ownership violations.

Crystal Palace’s appeal targets UEFA, French side Lyon, and Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest after all three were caught up in the fallout from John Textor’s overlapping ownership stakes.

Textor, who owns a significant share in Palace and is majority stakeholder at Lyon, found himself in breach of UEFA rules which prohibit two clubs under the same influential ownership from competing in the same European competition.

Lyon, like Crystal Palace, qualified for the Europa League. But UEFA ruled in favour of the French club. This demoted Palace to the Conference League and opened a potential lifeline for Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League.

In their appeal to CAS, the South London side are pushing for UEFA’s financial control body’s decision to be annulled and for Palace to be reinstated to the Europa League “in place of either Forest or Lyon.”

Club chairman Steve Parish told The Rest is Football podcast last week: “We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn’t have decisive influence over the club… We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”

UEFA’s ruling came down to Palace missing a deadline, March 1, 2025, for restructuring ownership to comply with multi-club rules. Palace insisted Textor had no decisive influence at Selhurst Park, but UEFA didn’t buy it.

A verdict is expected no later than August 11, with the Europa League group stage set to begin on September 24.

Maguire Absent From United’s U.S. Tour Amid Personal Reasons

Manchester United defender, Harry Maguire will not be part of the early stages of the club’s pre-season tour in the United States.

Maguire featured in the goalless draw against Leeds in Stockholm but was notably absent from the 32-man squad travelling across the Atlantic.

Club sources confirmed the 32-year-old’s absence was due to personal reasons, although he is expected to join the group before the tour ends on August 3.

The squad list also confirmed that winger Alejandro Garnacho, as well as out-of-favour trio Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia, have all been left behind to train at Carrington while exploring transfer options.

New signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are among those included in the travelling squad. Mbeumo completed a £65 million switch from Brentford just days ago, while Cunha shared news of the birth of his second child on social media.

Injury updates include goalkeeper Andre Onana and defender Lisandro Martinez. Both will travel but are not expected to feature due to ongoing recoveries. Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee has also joined the squad.

Promising youngsters Sekou Kone, Reece Munro, Ethan Williams, Bendito Mantato, and Jack Fletcher-Olson, who is a club legend, retain their spots as new manager Ruben Amorim eyes a rebuild in a season without European football.

Wissa’s Brentford Future Uncertain Amid Spurs and Newcastle Interest

Brentford striker Yoane Wissa has flown back to London from the club’s training base in Portugal, fueling speculation over a summer exit.

The 28-year-old Congolese forward will now sit down with Brentford’s director of football Phil Giles to discuss his next move, amid strong interest from Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest.

Sources close to the player say personal terms will not be an obstacle, especially with Spurs and Newcastle stepping up talks in the last 48 hours.

Wissa, unsettled by the ongoing speculation, is expected to rejoin the team once they return to London, if he remains a Brentford player.

Despite Brentford’s attempts to extend his contract, Wissa is believed to favour a move away from the Gtech Community Stadium.

His current deal has 12 months left, with an option to extend by a year. However, with him turning 29 in September, the club risks losing significant value should they delay a decision.

The situation has become even more delicate following Bryan Mbeumo’s departure to Manchester United for £65 million. Brentford had hoped to keep at least one of their star forwards.

Wissa has netted 49 goals in 149 appearances since joining from Lorient in 2021, including an impressive 19 in 35 league matches last season.

The Bees kick off their pre-season friendlies against Gil Vicente on July 25 in Portugal, but Wissa’s role in that fixture remains uncertain.