UEFA set to make major rule change after Crystal Palace Europa League controversy

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UEFA reportedly plan to relax their multi-club ownership rules after Crystal Palace were controversially kicked out of the Europa League.Palace qualified for Europe’s second-tier competition by winning the FA Cup in May, but did not enter this season’s league phase. The Eagles were adjudged to have fallen foul of UEFA’s rules on multi-club ownership and lost an appeal against Europa League relegation.French side Lyon also qualified for the competition and are owned by John Textor, who had shares at Palace.Multi-club ownership rules set by UEFA prevent multiple teams owned by an individual to play in the same European competition.Palace could have circumnavigated this with proof of a restructuring of their multi-club ownership, but they missed the March 1 deadline.They were subsequently relegated to the Conference League, and had to compete in a qualification play-off to reach the league phase.However, as reported by The Guardian, UEFA have plans to give clubs more time to resolve such issues.The March 1 deadline is set to be relaxed, although potential multi-club ownership concerns will still need to be raised by this date.Instead, these problems can be resolved during an extra period of time at the end of the season.Europa League and Conference League qualifying draws take place in June, so a final deadline could come at the beginning of the month.Clubs who fail to raise any multi-club ownership issues by March 1 will still breach the rules.Palace fans appealed the controversial decision, but lostGettyHow Palace faced Europa League relegationPremier League rivals Nottingham Forest finished seventh last season and qualified for the Conference League play-off round.However, they wrote to UEFA to express concern over Palace and their Europa League participation amid Textor’s shares at the club.The American businessman, who has now sold his shares, spoke to talkSPORT in July about his fears of the outcome.“‘Oh s***’, is what I thought,” he said when recalling Palace lifting the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium.Palace said they would seek legal advice against their relegation and submitted an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS].They tried to argue that Textor had no decisive influence at the club despite being their largest shareholder.Palace now play in the Conference League, and Forest took their Europa League spotGettyHowever, CAS dismissed their appeal and Palace were admitted to compete in the Conference League this season.Oliver Glasner’s side beat Fredrikstad in their play-off round tie and won their league phase opener against Dynamo Kyiv 2-0.