Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sues Crystal Palace over shocking fan banner depicting him with gun

According to BBC Sport, the legal dispute centers on a banner displayed by Crystal Palace supporters during a 1-1 Premier League draw between the two clubs last August. Lawyers representing Evangelos Marinakis officially lodged the defamation claim in the High Court on Monday, naming CPFC Limited as one of two defendants in the case.

This legal escalation follows a period of heightened tension between the two clubs and their respective fanbases. The banner also featured provocative text that directly addressed serious allegations, stating: 'Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption.' The Forest owner has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing regarding such claims throughout his tenure in football, and he has now decided to seek legal recourse to protect his reputation against the messaging displayed in south London.

The governing bodies have already taken notice of the incident, with the Football Association previously intervening. In November 2025, the FA charged Crystal Palace with failing to ensure that their supporters conducted themselves in an orderly fashion. Specifically, the charge cited a failure to prevent behavior that was considered improper, offensive, abusive, or provocative, although the banner itself was not explicitly specified as the official reason for the charge.

Premier League rules are particularly stringent when it comes to messaging that could be deemed defamatory, political, or offensive in nature. The league prides itself on maintaining a family-friendly environment, and the depiction of a club owner with a weapon directed at a player is considered a significant breach of expected standards.

The inclusion of Morgan Gibbs-White in the banner added a personal layer to the controversy, referencing the midfielder's recent transfer drama. The England international was the subject of intense transfer speculation last summer, with Tottenham Hotspur coming close to securing his signature after appearing to trigger a £60m release clause before he ultimately signed a new contract to stay at Forest.

However, despite the interest from North London, Gibbs-White opted to commit his long-term future to the City Ground project. He eventually signed a new contract to stay at Nottingham Forest and participated in an interview alongside Marinakis to discuss his decision to reject a move away.

The relationship between the two clubs has been further strained by administrative decisions at the European level. Forest, under Marinakis' ownership, took Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League last season following a ruling by UEFA regarding multi-club ownership models. Tensions have mounted even further this summer following Oliver Glasner's move from Selhurst Park to manage Nottingham Forest, having previously led Palace to trophy successes in the FA Cup, FA Community Shield, and UEFA Conference League during his tenure.