Crystal Palace dealt serious blow in bid to play in Europe next season after Lyon strike deal with UEFA

The Eagles has been given a glimmer of hope after Lyon were relegated from Ligue 1 due to their finances. Officials at Palace viewed the demotion as a 'game-changer' according to the MailOnline, however the French club announced a special agreement had been made with UEFA to strengthen their chances of playing in the Europa League next term.

It's the latest chapter in a saga that has tested the strength of UEFA's rules and regulations. The south London club's participation in Europe was brought into question as Eagle Football Holdings, the company of American businessman John Textor, also owns Lyon. As per, UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership, both teams cannot appear in the same competition. Textor sold his share in Palace to the owner of the New York Jets Woody Johnson in an attempt to circumvent the rules.

The official statement by Lyon said: "After validating its financial viability procedure, Olympique Lyonnais has signed an agreement with UEFA's club financial control body.

"The club could thus participate in the Europa League competition next season, subject to a favourable outcome during the appeal of the DNCG's decision.

"OL thanks the UEFA representatives who supported it in this procedure."

It's hard to accurately guess the outcome of this whole affair. Textor appears to be persona non grata in Lyon, with fans protesting his ownership and calling for his exit. Palace's top brass have travelled to Switzerland to make their case at UEFA's HQ, but are at the mercy of the governing body's decision. Lyon might be playing football in France's second division next year. This story will continue to rumble for the foreseeable future.