Crystal Palace

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says that it would be a "mistake" for the club to wait on their European fate before making any signings - and also says there are no negotiations over a new contract.

The club have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against their demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League.

The Eagles have been drawn against against Norwegian side Fredrikstad or Midtjylland of Denmark, for the Conference League play-off round.

The two legs are played on 21 and 28 August but Glasner says Palace, who have only signed two players this summer, should not wait until those matches to bring in new faces.

"If you're thinking like this, you make a mistake," he said. "Then you're always reacting to situations. You can't run a business where you're always reacting.

"You can but you'll never have long-term success. You have to be active and plan what's going on.

"You can't say we wait and then on the 28th, if we qualify for the Conference League group stage, then we act. We don't think like this."

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Last season, Glasner was frustrated with Palace's late activity in the transfer window, especially given the Eagles' slow start to the season where they won only one of their opening eight league games.

But Glasner says he is not worried about a repeat as long as the club keeps their top talent.

"The difference now is the team stayed together," Glasner said. "Last year, we lost 10 of the dressing room and added seven - 40% of the dressing room left.

"This year two loan players left and two new come in. That means the chemistry and spirit is great. Everybody knows how we want to play because everybody was here last year."

When asked if he has asked for investment into the squad, Glasner says it is not solely about wanting players.

"It's not that I want investment - it's about Crystal Palace," Glasner said. "My expertise and my advice is what Crystal Palace should do to be competitive in four competitions.

"If we want to be better than last year, then let's sign at least two players. Not to be happy, not to fulfil my wishes, nothing at all.

"It's been a good summer, a good pre-season, I love the players and staff who are here. I love the club and the fans."

The Palace boss also revealed there had been no talks about extending his contract. beyond next summer when it expires.

"Again, at the moment it's three weeks time to get the squad done, so Oliver Glasner's contract is not important at the moment," he said.

Asked if what happens before the transfer deadline would impact whether he wants to talk about a new deal, the Palace boss said: "We will see."

Captain Marc Guehi's contract expires next summer and there has been interest in the defender from both Liverpool and Newcastle.

"Marc and me - we have the same fate." Glasner said with a smile. "I can't speak, you have to ask Marc. At the end, it's always the player's decision.

"Marc decides about his future. Of course, everybody wants Marc to sign a new contract. It will be his decision.

"Everybody wants to keep this squad together as it did so well. I don't know how often this happens here at Palace.

"We never know what will happen in this sometimes crazy transfer market."

You have been sharing your stories and photos about why you love Palace.

Here is a final selection of your submissions, but do make sure you scroll down this page to see all the best responses from throughout the week:

Harold: My first Palace game was in the 2004-05 season against Bolton Wanderers, played at home. I was taken by a friend and his dad who supported Arsenal and Tottenham respectively but had managed to get Palace season tickets that year.

Earlier in the same season I'd been taken to a Millwall home game by my godfather, who supported Millwall - an effort to woo me to the wrong side of south London.

It turns out that about 10 years before that, my dad had taken my mum to watch Palace against Sheffield Wednesday, in the away end, supporting Wednesday, as their first date!

Among a host of clubs that could have been chosen that year, I fell in love with Palace and was proud of them as my local club, having grown up in West Norwood.

That pride only gets stronger.

And all it took was losing 1-0 at home to Bolton!

Dave: Like so many, I fell in love with Crystal Palace after watching the 1990 FA Cup final. Seeing Ian Wright score those amazing goals and the team's kit caught my eye with the iconic "Fly to LA" shirts.

My dad used to take me to Palace's away games in the Midlands against Stoke City as this is where we lived. Palace always did well and I'd have to sit on my hands and not celebrate as we always scored against Stoke.

But inside I was bursting with pride. They will always be my team.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish is finding it difficult to even comprehend it has got this far. The club's supporters feel the same.

For those with Palace connections, it is a nonsense that their place in the Europa League - secured following last season's historic FA Cup triumph - has been ripped away from them by Uefa red tape.

Yet they are where they are. Parish led his legal team into battle on Friday morning at a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing which Palace hope will see them reinstated into European club football's second-most prestigious competition.

Palace feel they have assembled a strong case. Part of their appeal hinges on an understanding that Nottingham Forest were afforded extra time to comply with the same multi-club ownership rules Uefa concluded Palace had breached, but the Eagles were not given the same time.

Palace feel the simple matter of common sense means they are allowed back into the Europa League.

Often, however, common sense in football doesn't prevail. That is Parish's fear.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Community Shield final against Liverpool at Wembley (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Eddie Nketiah "has missed more or less the whole pre-season" and could is likely to be out for the first month of the new season.

• Cheick Doucoure has suffered an injury setback and "wont be back in the next couple of months," while Matheus Franca and Caleb Kporha are also sidelined.

• Glasner said the opportunity to win a trophy this early on "is much better than playing friendlies" in pre-season.

• On opponents Liverpool: "The toughest thing happened at Liverpool with Diogo Jota and his brother [who died in a car crash last month]. Then we see how unimportant results, transfers and everything else is. And the Community Shield is the first competitive game after, which will be under these circumstances."

• He said he is "always positive" so is hopeful that Uefa's decision to demote Palace to the Conference League will be overturned in today's appeal: "I can't see anything why we should be demoted and why we should stay in the Conference League. I know how the club works and it is just the chairman and the people who work here daily that take the decisions."

• He went on to say that Palace "will accept the final verdict" from the Court of of Arbitration for Sport though, as "that's the only thing we can do."

• On the feeling among the players and staff: "We will definitely play in four competitions and preparing well is the only thing we can do."

• He said the club "are quite passive" in the transfer market but "definitely need two more players - one at the back and one in the attack."

• More on the lack of incomings: "We missed in the last weeks the chance to bring new players in. But I can't complain. We have to deal with what we have."

Follow the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary of the Community Shield on BBC Radio 5 Live from Wembley at 15:00 BST on Sunday

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace's appeal against Uefa's decision to demote them from the Europa League has started at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Co-owner and chairman Steve Parish is in attendance in Switzerland along with six other members of his team.

Palace, who earned their spot in the Europa League by winning the FA Cup, were relegated to the Conference League in July after Uefa ruled they had breached their rules on multi-club ownership.

A decision on the appeal is expected on Monday.

Meanwhile, Palace play Liverpool in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Former Eagles captain Joel Ward, who left the club after 13 years this summer, told BBC Radio 5 Live the situation is "unjust" and "disheartening" but they have to remain optimistic.

"I feel for the club. You play in the most prestigious cup in England and you don't get the reward at the end of it.

"Obviously, you get the reward of the trophy, but the secondary reward is getting into Europe and that's kind of been snatched away at this point.

"We stay hopeful for the hearing and hopefully we can get the hearing that we deserve and be back in Europe."

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace were demoted to Europe's third competition because American businessman John Textor owned a stake in the club and was the majority owner of French giants Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League.

Textor, who has since sold his shares in the South London club, has always maintained that he never had decisive influence over the club and had no say in management decisions.

"It's been very clear to see that Steve Parish, the chairman, makes the decisions and he's the one who leads the club," added Ward.

"Obviously the club has got investment elsewhere, but he makes his decisions and there's no kind of involvement with other clubs in any way, shape or form.

"I think that's the painful side about that. But like I said, we remain hopeful and hopefully we can get the decision turned around."

Image source, Getty Images

• Liverpool have only won the Community Shield outright on one of the past six occasions they have played in the match as league champions, beating Wimbledon 2-1 in 1988.

• The FA Cup winners have beaten the league champions to the trophy in seven of the past nine Community Shield meetings.

• Crystal Palace are competing in their first Community Shield, and none of the past four such teams have won the trophy, with two of those losing to Liverpool (Southampton in 1976 and Wimbledon in 1988).

• The Eagles have also won just one of their past 16 games against the Reds (D3 L12), picking up a 1-0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League in April 2024.

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace centre-back Chris Richards says he is "excited" for Sunday's Community Shield despite going into the game as underdogs.

Richards, who signed from Bayern Munich in 2022, became just the third American to win the FA Cup when Palace defeated Manchester City in May.

His sights are now set on making more history and taking more silverware back to South London.

"I am excited," he told BBC Radio London. "It is another chance to win a trophy and anytime you can play for silverware, it means more.

"We will definitely be an underdog going into this game. We've had some good games against Liverpool in the past, so I think that's what gives us confidence going into the game."

The 25-year-old has now partnered with UK mental health charity VSS (Virtual Soccer Schools), external, co-founded by Tim Ream, to launch the VSS Mental Health XI campaign, aimed at tackling the mental health crisis among young people.

The initiative sees a selection of professional footballers speak to school children aged eight to 16 to about their lived experiences of mental health challenges.

"I hope we can get kids out of their comfort zone to speak about those things," added Richards. "I still think I internalise things, but I am getting better.

"I have sometimes felt things are going against me but there are bigger things than being than footballer and that's what I wish I was told more as a kid."

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos about why you fell in love with Crystal Palace.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Norman: My first season was in 1968-69 when they were promoted to the First Division for the first time. We were in front of the directors' box for the last match when they threw their shirts into the crowd and celebrated promotion. My wife still has Steve Kember's sock that he threw to her (unwashed).

Send us your pictures and stories here

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Crystal Palace fans have become well-known throughout football for the fantastic atmosphere they create at Selhurst Park, but it is when the supporters have to unite that they show the best of themselves.

The Eagles are well followed pretty much wherever they go and with the Holmesdale fanatics, there is a consistent block of noise coming from that stand at every game.

Even though Palace won the first major trophy in their history last season, it has not been the summer of celebration many had hoped for.

The demotion to the Conference League from the Europa League has hung over the club, with supporters hoping the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport will fall in their favour.

Yet the one thing this has highlighted is what I have seen when following and reporting on the club - that Palace fans do their best work when they have something to get behind.

I reported on the fan-organised protest that was put on after the club was demoted and I attended a large portion of the FA Cup run.

The tifo displays organised for the cup semi-final and final were widely praised, not only for their skill but for the message of what it means to be a football fan.

At the final, the tifo showed Palace fan Mark Wealleans, who died in 2017, celebrating an iconic goal with his two sons. That is a scene is replicated around the country in most grounds when the ball finds the back of the net.

Supporters have protested against the club going into administration, have got behind the team in relegation battles and have also now seen the glory of a cup win.

The biggest thing I have learned from covering Palace is, no matter what type of season the team are having, their fans will find something to unite them.

Join the conversation and tell your story about why you love Palace

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Danielle Sarver Coombs

When it comes to our love for a football club, the answer to why we do lies in "both psychological and societal" reasons.

In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, researcher and co-writer of the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom Danielle Sarver Coombs spoke about the part that identity and tradition play.

And yet when we are caught up in the emotions of a tough defeat or nerves of an important match, we can often ask why we put ourselves through it.

"There are psychological processes at work and physiological ones in terms of how we respond and engage," Sarver Coombs said.

"An example that I always give is when I take the train to work, I go past Arsenal's stadium and I feel literally nothing other than: 'Oh, that's a big building'. Whereas on a train to Manchester, I went by Villa Park and my heart started pounding. I got all excited and was trying to take pictures out the window.

"I had a visceral reaction to this place. We can't pretend we don't have that sort of physical reaction because we do.

"When someone is talking about a controversial decision and I feel myself getting wound up, even though I intellectually know that I can't control it and that it's just a game, my body doesn't know that.

"My gut doesn't know that and so I have this really emotional response and we can't control that."

A 2023 book titled 'Football on the brain: why minds love sport, external' suggests it comes down to 'an understandable and logical consequence of the human mind's natural inclination to find meaning through beliefs... It's a religion as far as the brain is concerned'.

But it not just about what is going on inside the mind but outside influences too.

"There is a sociological element to it because the community part is such a huge driver and benefit for us," Sarver Coombs explains.

"Sociologically, we are driven to be part of communities. We are driven to find our groups that we can be members of. Sport provides a way to do that - this sense that I was chosen to be part of this community and it's something bigger than I am."

As the game expands, unrest among supporters seems to be increasing, but how does that impact this ingrained love for a club?

"You always go through these cycles when the game is changing," Sarver Coombs said.

"Despite all the changes, the traditions remain so strong and it's such a huge draw that it becomes really hard to actually separate yourself from it. Even if you do, it tends to be a short-term separation. You get sucked back in because something happens.

"People don't want that change, but then we adapt to it and continue moving forward."

Browse this page to see lots of fan stories for how you fell in love with your club.

And check out those from other Premier League teams over here

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos for why you fell in love with Crystal Palace.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Val: My dad took me when I was seven in 1968. That ignited a love for the club and I spent my teenage years with friends on the Holmesdale behind the goal. We travelled all over the place as teenagers with those who could drive and borrow their dad's cars. Notably to Anfield, but also to the likes of Colchester, Charlton and Chelsea.

I'm now 64 and living in Cornwall but am still a fan and go when I can, having been to the semi-final and final in 2016. My son and granddaughter, who also live in Cornwall, are also fans - it's a family thing. Palace are a lovely family-friendly club at the heart of their community, unlike many of the clubs in the Premier League nowadays.

Send us your pictures and stories here

Opta's Supercomputer has once again predicted the upcoming 2025-26 Premier League season by using a model to simulate every match 10,000 times.

Image source, Opta

It is not yet clear if the team that finishes fifth in this season's Premier League will secure a Champions League spot again as that outcome depends on how representatives performance in Europe this season.

Therefore, based on needing a top-four finish to reach the Champions League and fifth getting the Europa League, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are favourites again, but there is still plenty of hope for others.

Aston Villa agonisingly missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day, but in almost a third of simulations they do force their way into a top-four spot this time around.

Newcastle's focus may be on trying to keep star striker Alexander Isak, but currently the Supercomputer predicts the Magpies to finish sixth most often, and a top-four finish in 29.9% of simulations.

Meanwhile, after Crystal Palace's strong end to last season brought a first major trophy, the Eagles are given more than a one-in-five chance of a top-four finish. They manage that achievement in 21.6% of sims, ahead of rivals Brighton (16.8%).

In their second season under Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton are predicted an eight-placed finish in the majority of sims.

The Supercomputer ranks Bournemouth (10.1%) and Nottingham Forest (8.9%) as outside shouts for European football this season.

Perhaps surprisingly, Brentford are predicted to have a strong season despite losing Thomas Frank and key players Bryan Mbuemo and Christian Norgaard - with Yoanne Wissa also looking likely to exit.

If as many as seven or eight Premier League clubs can qualify for Europe next season, the door could be open for a surprise team to sneak in.

Read Opta's full Supercomputer breakdown here, external

Sami Mokbel and Alex Howell
BBC Sport football reporters

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace fear striker Eddie Nketiah will miss around six weeks with a hamstring injury.

Palace face Liverpool in the Community Shield on Sunday ( kick-off 15:00 BST) before their Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday, 17 August.

However, Nketiah will miss the start of the Eagles' captain with the muscular problem.

The former Arsenal striker came off in the pre-season loss to Augsburg on Friday after suffering the complaint.

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner says he is confident the Eagles will win their appeal and play in the Europa League this season.

Palace have submitted an appeal against their demotion to the Conference League with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

The appeal is against Uefa, which issued the punishment, French club Lyon and Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.

A decision is expected on or before 11 August.

"We don't have any influence on the decision from Uefa and we don't have any influence on the decision from Cas, so it just makes no sense that we're thinking about it," Glasner told Sky Sports., external

"We're waiting for the final decision. We're still confident the appeal will be successful and that we will play in the Europa League."

Palace were punished for breaching multi-club ownership rules as American businessman John Textor owns a stake in the club and is the majority owner of Lyon, who also qualified for the Europa League.

Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, are expected replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa League should the punishment stand.

In their appeal, Palace have requested an annulment of the decision by Uefa's financial control body and readmission to the Europa League in place of either Forest or Lyon.

We know the relationship between a football fan and their club is a special one so, as we gear up for the new season, we asked you to share why you fell in love with Crystal Palace and some of your favourite moments supporting them.

Here are some of your submissions:

Kay: I love Palace because growing up in Croydon, they gave us hope. I remember going to school in the 1990s with red and blue ribbons in my hair because we were in the FA Cup. Now, years later, we have won it!

I also love the fact that Palace is a community that is supportive of each other and of others, like when the club raised money for Hartlepool's manager's wife who had cancer. This is what true red and blue means.

Send your pictures and stories here

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

'Why did you fall in love with your club?'

This week, we have asked hundreds of football fans across the world that very question and got hundreds of different answers.

Yes, the themes might be similar - born near a ground; family supported the team; watched a certain player - but the individual story will be unique to each supporter.

The relationship between a fan and their club should not be underestimated, with people ploughing uncountable amounts of money, time and emotional energy into their support for their team.

But what is that makes us love our clubs the way we do?

"A lot of it comes down to our identity," researcher and co-writer of the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom Danielle Sarver Coombs told BBC Sport.

"We become part of this group that means so much to us. It becomes a way to find a community that you're a part of and to find a group of people that, no matter where you are, you could find a pub with other fans of your team. You have that kinship.

"In a world that's increasingly quite lonely, this provides one of the ways that we can have connections so we can have the feeling that we're part of something bigger."

Connection and identity plays a big role in someone's love for their club - particularly when it is a family link.

Many fans talk of being born into who they support - that the connection is so strong there was no other team they could, or would, have chosen.

"The great thing with football is that there's such a strong heritage component to it," Sarver Coombs said. "Often, your grandfather, father, mother or whomever was a fan of the team, so it's part of your family's tradition.

"It's handed down from generation to generation."

The uniqueness of football fandom is something researchers are increasingly investigating.

An article, external published earlier this year in psychology journal Frontiers discusses how football fans often follow follow teams with 'significant attachment and commitment, sometimes to the bewilderment of those outside of the game'.

"With football clubs, you have decades of tradition that you can tap into and it's going to keep coming," Sarver Coombs added.

"Players come and go, managers come and go, shirts change, badges change, but the club itself - the heart and soul of it remains constant. You always have that piece that you're tied to, so the longevity of clubs is a really important part.

"But also, that constant in-person opportunity to be present in a community space really sets football apart from other passions that may be transient or do not have that constant engagement."

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Crystal Palace face competition from Juventus for Girona's 22-year-old Spanish right-back Arnau Martinez. (Tuttosport - in Italian), external

Newcastle are set to revive their interest in England defender Marc Guehi with a £40m offer, while Crystal Palace value the 25-year-old at £50m. (Times - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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