Crystal Palace qualified for the Europa League by virtue of winning the FA Cup. But the Eagles may be kicked out of European football due to ownership rules, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City at Wembley to win the English FA and secure the first major trophy for the Selhurst Park cabinet.

But the euphoria of that famous victory could be dampened by the European football governing body, UEFA, which met yesterday to decide whether to allow Palace participate in the Europa League or bar them from the competition.

This is because the American businessman, John Textor, who holds 43 per cent of the shares in the club, is also the majority shareholder at Lyon, which has also qualified for the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Danish side, Brondby, are owned by Palace co-owner David Blitzer.

The issue is a story about modern football. Like many others, members of Palace’s ownership group have stakes in other clubs. And like many others have experienced, that can come with baggage.

UEFA are not mad keen on multi-club ownership models. That’s why they have rules around them. Put simply, clubs with the same owners cannot play in the same competitions for obvious reasons of integrity. And, given the growth of such models, it is an ongoing situation that has caused headaches across the top flight and beyond.

UEFA has relaxed its rules – starting from last season – to allow clubs under the same groups to compete in different competitions. While not ideal, that may have left the door open for Palace to drop into the Europa Conference League.

The problem, however, is that the investment vehicle of David Blitzer, the director who has an 18 per cent stake in the Eagles, is the majority owner of Danish outfit Brondby, who are in a play-off to enter the same competition.

The rules state that in such circumstances the club which finished in the higher place in its domestic league gets the slot. And so for Palace, who finished 12th and below both Lyon and Brondby, that door appears to be closed.

That the club are in this position may come as a surprise. Those involved are serious players. Big-hitters. For this to have not already been addressed will raise eyebrows. There may well be some sympathy, however, given few outside the Palace dressing room will have seen their victory over Pep Guardiola’s side coming.

It is likely that Palace will argue that 59-year-old Textor has no control over football operations and that his majority stake only entitles him to 25 per cent of the voting rights. They could also say that he is actively seeking to sell his stake. The latter argument is unlikely to trigger much movement.

UEFA declined to comment but based on previous instances they are unlikely to accept a compromise. It is expected that Textor will make the case himself. Should that case fall on deaf ears, it may well leave the owner and club in a tight spot.

As a business operator, Textor is unlikely to have an appetite for a forced sale.

The situation is widely known within football. The prospect of potential buyers knowing the backdrop is unlikely to push the price to an acceptable level.

He has previously spoken of his dismay over his perceived lack of input at Selhurst Park and was, at one point, keen on moving for Everton. But a lightning-speed sale is unlikely given the amount of due diligence required.

To rub salt into wounds, should a solution not be found, one of the main beneficiaries could be Palace’s old foe. Their rivalry with Brighton may be smirked elsewhere, but it is real and it is raw. Brighton finished eighth and so would be at the front of the queue to step in if Palace ended up dropping out.

And what of the club’s star players? European competition is an enticing carrot to dangle when you’re a mid-sized club punching above its weight. The likes of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, both heavily linked with moves elsewhere, may well be relishing an opportunity that could yet be taken away.