The English Football Association (FA) has launched an investigation after Crystal Palace supporters unveiled a graphic banner aimed at Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis during Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park.
Tensions between the two clubs have been simmering since the summer following a dispute over Europa League qualification. Crystal Palace, who earned a spot in the competition with a shock FA Cup victory over Manchester City in May, were later excluded after UEFA ruled that former co-owner John Textor’s controlling interest in Lyon breached ownership regulations. Nottingham Forest, who had originally qualified for the UEFA Conference League by finishing seventh in the Premier League, were subsequently elevated to the Europa League at Palace’s expense.
The saga left Palace fans aggrieved, with reports suggesting Marinakis had written to UEFA raising concerns about Palace’s ownership structure. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by Palace failed, cementing their place in the Conference League while Forest advanced to Europe’s second-tier competition.
When the two sides met in south London on Sunday, the heated backdrop was evident. Supporters in the Holmesdale End displayed a provocative banner depicting Marinakis pointing a gun at Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White. The image came alongside a series of allegations against the Greek businessman, all of which he has strongly denied.
Although Marinakis was not in attendance, the display was widely condemned, with the PA news agency reporting that the FA would investigate under Law 12, which prohibits fans from exhibiting messages deemed “provocative, derisory or inflammatory.”
The incident has added further strain to an already tense rivalry between the clubs, with the FA expected to review the matter in the coming days.
Melissa Enoch
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