John Textor, the owner of Eagle Football Group, expressed worry about Crystal Palace's FA Cup win jeopardizing their Europa League qualification due to UEFA rules on multi-club ownership. With a 43% stake in Palace and ownership of Lyon, both teams might be disqualified from the competition. Textor's immediate reaction at Wembley was one of joy but also concern. He is in the process of selling his stake in Palace for £190m to Woody Johnson, while awaiting UEFA's decision on both clubs' participation in the Europa League amid challenges related to Lyon's financial issues.
'Oh s***', is what I thought,' he told Talksport of his reaction after Palace beat Manchester City 1-0 in the final. 'I was very happy, but I felt the gravity of it. And I was concerned on the same day holding the cup next to the Prince [William].'
Textor is in the process of a £190m ($254m) sale of his stake in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, but the deal is yet to be confirmed.
Despite these developments, UEFA are yet to make a ruling on the clubs' involvement in the Europa League and a source told ESPN that a decision is expected in the next few days.
'I am dumb enough and successful enough to not sort of predict in advance what a governing body is going to say,' Textor said. 'At times, I've been so confident at how we would come out of a hearing with...'
Eagle Football Group, Textor's holding company, have a 43% stake in Palace alongside owning French side Lyon. Despite securing qualification to the Europa League last season, both sides face the prospect of being denied entry into the competition.
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