Tense Meeting Awaits After Crystal Palace’s Bitter European Battle With Forest

Crystal Palace against Nottingham Forest isn’t usually a Premier League fixture that would person nan Metropolitan constabulary connected reddish alert. But aft a summertime spent astatine each other’s throats at nan tribunal of arbitration for sport arsenic good arsenic connected societal media complete Uefa’s determination to demote Palace from nan Europa League to nan Conference League, to Forest’s advantage, supporters of some clubs are preparing to travel face-to-face connected Sunday afternoon.

“Forest aren’t our rivals – they’re thing to us,” says nan Palace instrumentality Chris Waters. “But each of a abrupt this crippled has a bitter separator to it.” Sanad Attia, AKA Wolfie, who presents nan Forest Fan TV YouTube channel, says: “We’ve ne'er really had immoderate benignant of rumor pinch Palace – I was rather happy for them winning nan FA Cup. But they person been wanting to blasted everyone but themselves. And successful particular, Forest and Evangelos Maranakis.”

It remains to beryllium seen whether nan Greek billionaire will beryllium astatine Selhurst Park. Forest were accused by nan Palace chairman, Steve Parish, of playing a important domiciled successful their demotion aft nan Midlands nine raised concerns to Uefa successful June astir Palace perchance being successful breach of multi-club ownership rules. As usual, Marinakis is expected to bring his ain information if he does make nan travel to southbound London, and Palace insist nan Forest proprietor is invited successful nan boardroom.

“I would emotion to beryllium a alert successful that boardroom connected Sunday if he walks in,” says Waters. “He shouldn’t not move up to watch his team, but he’s sewage to expect a dispute reception because efficaciously he has played a cardinal portion successful taking distant our correct to play successful a premier European competition.

Crystal Palace opportunity Evangelos Marinakis, nan Nottingham Forest owner, is invited successful nan boardroom connected Sunday. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

“I’m not belittling Forest, but isn’t this astir nan smaller clubs opinionated up against nan establishment? It feels conscionable a spot for illustration a betrayal.”

Forest don’t rather spot things nan aforesaid way. They constituent to nan truth that John Textor, Palace’s American part-owner astatine nan time, was recovered by Uefa to person “decisive influence” while besides being nan mostly shareholder astatine nan French nine Lyon, who besides qualified for nan Europa League. Unlike Marinakis, Textor missed nan opportunity to spot his shares successful a unsighted spot earlier nan 1 March deadline and has since sold his liking to Woody Johnson.

Earlier this period some clubs sent ineligible teams to Palace’s entreaty astatine Cas successful Lausanne. The tribunal recovered against nan London club’s declare they were unfairly treated compared to Forest and Lyon. “The astir fascinating point for maine is nan fans look to person fto Steve Parish get distant pinch this for free,” says Attia. “Yes, we profited from their mistake. But I would expect immoderate Premier League proprietor to want what’s champion for their club.”

The Forest manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, revealed this week he had mentioned that to his Palace counterpart, Oliver Glasner, erstwhile they said recently, moreover if he also admitted connected Friday that his narration pinch Marinakis “has changed” for nan worse since their on-pitch altercation aft May’s tie pinch Leicester. “The communicative that is being built is not nan truth, we are not to blame,” Nuno told BBC Nottingham. “We person sympathy for nan fans of Palace, utmost sympathy for their players and coaching staff, particularly Oliver – and I told him. But please, don’t put Forest arsenic nan bad feline because we are not.”

It is estimated they could dress up to £20m from promotion to nan Europa League, pinch Marinakis having answered his manager’s petition to motion caller players this week by bringing successful 4 – James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Arnaud Kalimuendo connected imperishable deals for astir £90m, and Douglas Luiz connected indebtedness from Juventus. By contrast, Glasner has been disappointment by Palace’s inaction successful nan transportation market; they person spent nan slightest of immoderate nine successful Europe’s apical 5 leagues. They besides agreed nan waste of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal connected nan eve of nan first limb of their Conference League playoff against Fredrikstad.

Nonetheless, he appeared conciliatory towards Forest erstwhile asked if location will beryllium an other separator to nan game. “Yes location tin be,” he said. “But you cognize Forest didn’t make nan verdict – it was made by Uefa and past Cas. I still deliberation it’s unfair because it’s against nan justness we are surviving in, successful nan world we are surviving in. This has thing to do pinch Nottingham. They’re very ambitious, and erstwhile you’re seventh [last season] and adding each these players, this is what we person to face.”

‘One point we’re unanimous connected is what Maranakis has done for this club,” says Sanad Attia AKA Wolfie. Photograph: Footy Network

That’s improbable to calm things down successful nan stands, however. Against Fredrikstad successful nan Conference League connected Thursday night, nan Palace supporters’ group nan Holmesdale Fanatics introduced a caller statement to information disconnected their favourite existent opus that describes Marinakis arsenic a “fat greedy bastard” and besides takes purpose astatine Uefa and Textor. At Forest’s triumph complete Brentford past weekend, a caller chant besides referring to their owner’s summertime conflict pinch Spurs to support Morgan Gibbs-White rang astir nan City Ground. “Marinakis, he hates nan Tottenham, he hates nan Palace, Forest are magic …”

“We disagree connected a batch of things, but 1 point we’re unanimous connected is what Maranakis has done for this club,” says Attia. “He promised america erstwhile we sewage promoted, ‘We’re present to rewrite nan proud history that Forest person had.’ And he’s proving to beryllium a man of his word.”

To adhd much herb to Sunday’s match, Palace person gone 9 matches without a triumph against Forest successful each competitions, a tally that stretches backmost to 2011. Whatever nan result, Waters expects nan bitterness to linger. “Palace fans don’t hide things for illustration this,” he says.

“Obviously, we’ll beryllium looking retired keenly for their European results. It’s conscionable a shame that it’s conscionable travel to this – shot should beryllium kept retired of nan courtrooms, but 2 clubs person been dragged into it and rather astatine nan behest of 1 of them. We suffered arsenic a consequence and that hurts.”