John Textor admits Europa League worries as Crystal Palace lifted FA Cup despite insisting documents prove no decisive influence

Outgoing Crystal Palace minority shareholder John Textor has admitted worries over Crystal Palace's Europa League involvement as he watched the club lift the FA Cup last season - but insists UEFA have seen documented evidence he never had a controlling influence at Selhurst Park.

Palace are currently awaiting a decision from UEFA over whether they will fall foul of the multi-club ownership rules which are designed to avoid conflicts of interest between clubs in the same competition.

Textor owns 90 per cent of Lyon and 43 per cent of Palace - though his stake in the latter is in the process of being sold to fellow US businessman Woody Johnson for around £190m.

The French club were initially kicked out of next season's Europa League after being relegated from Ligue 1 due to financial issues, but earned a reprieve earlier this week when they won an appeal against the original decision.

That leaves Palace's fate in UEFA's hands over whether they believe Textor has never had a 'controlling influence' over matters at the club, something he and the Eagles have always strenuously denied. Should UEFA disagree, they may be demoted to the Conference League with Nottm Forest taking their place instead.

Speaking on TalkSport ahead of a ruling, which is expected this week, the 59-year-old said he had documented proof that he could not make "management decisions" at Palace.

Will Palace lose their Europa League spot? Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

"At the moment, there are real fears at Palace they will be demoted to the Conference League and Nottingham Forest will take their place in the Europa League.

"If that happens, Palace will appeal and take it all the way to CAS.

"In the meantime, we have to wait for an update from UEFA's Club Financial Control Body."

However, Textor did admit that even during the Eagles' celebrations at Wembley for winning the FA Cup, which qualified them for next season's Europa League, he had been concerned about how UEFA would respond.

He said: "It was never discussed [whether it would be an issue]. The reasons are in documents the public hasn't seen. We shouldn't talk about whether I have a 43 per cent vote or 25, we should talk about zero.

"The document I signed says I have no entitlement to have a role in management decisions. UEFA have seen that document.

"I think we all take responsibility as owners. I'll admit to not even thinking about the issue. I read the rule too, please read it yourself.

"If you have decisive influence, you may have to consider this. I didn't and I don't, and if I did I would've had to consider selling in June 2024.

"You don't see one single player from our network of clubs who has made its way onto the Palace roster. They should put guard rails around the competition. The rules changed in the middle of this year.

"I was so happy when they lifted the FA Cup. But I felt the gravity while they were holding the cup, I couldn't have been happier or happier for the fans. But I was worried about what was coming there and then.

"I felt bad but it doesn't mean I had decisive influence. The rules say they should be in."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sky Sports chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol explains why Lyon's successful appeal with the French league could be bad news for Crystal Palace and their hopes of playing in the Europa League.

Textor: I was ready to become majority owner - now I'm out

Textor's share sale comes despite his and Palace's assertion that he has not had the power to control major decisions at the club.

The American, whose primary sport-controlling company is named Eagle Football Holdings after Palace's nickname, admitted it "stung" to feel obliged to sell off his interest in the club only weeks after he had been considering taking a controlling stake at Selhurst Park.

"A couple of weeks before the FA Cup final, shareholders were talking about how long they wanted to stay in, who's in for the long haul," he said.

"I felt it highly probable that gave us the right of first offer, when you're sitting at 43 per cent soon you're going to get to 51 per cent. Then you get to the kind of roster operation like we do with our clubs, we had a plan to get to the Europa League every year.

"I thought we would be the majority owner, fans would get to know me rather than just this guy who shows up at games, I thought I'd be able to show my love for Crystal Palace - and then it quickly turned into being the guy who had to leave. That stings.

"I think it's a stay of execution [for Steve Parish] because I think his club was going to be sold to us. I hope they get to the Europa League and he has a strategy to get back there. What's their strategy next year? I think Steve's ambition every year is to avoid relegation.

"Ours is to get into Europe. We have that ambition to climb to the top of the table. I would have that same ambition with Crystal Palace."

Textor's Eagle Football Holdings group, named after Palace's nickname, also owns Brazilian side Botafogo and Belgian second-division side Racing Brussels. The businessman said he had planned to bring Palace into that 'multi-club' system had he been able to take over the club.

"I'm an organisational guy, and that works best as a family with collaboration," he said. "I don't wake up wanting to be the man, but I do love the family of Eagle Football. Otherwise you're just watching petrol clubs win everything.

"It's his club to run, when I came in I was negotiating to buy 75 per cent and they came and said we could get approved faster if it was a minority share and we could buy the rest very soon after.

"When I realised I couldn't influence anything, I started seeking fulfilment in football elsewhere.

"The documents speak for themselves. I was persuaded to close on a minority share because it was meant to be quicker and I thought I could help with that transfer window. But the owners test works the same for 90 per cent or 20 per cent.

"We ended up making an investment which was profitable for us but not as enjoyable either personally or for our total business as it should've been. If it was my decision to buy the minority interest, I have myself to blame."

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