palace

CRYSTAL Palace welcome Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park for a huge Premier League clash TODAY.

The match comes after Palace‘s bitter European battle with Forest, which saw the Eagles demoted to the Conference League and the Tricky Trees promoted to the Europa League at their expense.

More drama came off the field this week as Nuno Espirito Santo said his relationship with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is “not the same” – fueling speculation over a potential departure.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Follow our live blog below…

EBERECHI EZE’S transfer from Crystal Palace is NOT expected to happen before the Eagles’ Conference League tie on Thursday.

Tottenham are pushing to land the England attacker and there were doubts over whether he would play in yesterday’s goalless draw at Chelsea.

4

4

But boss Oliver Glasner never doubted Eze, who had a stunning free-kick ruled out at Stamford Bridge, would be available despite uncertainty over his future.

Glasner said: “He was picked because he’s a Crystal Palace player, and he’s a very good

“He trained the whole week, so there was no reason not to pick him.

“He will come to the Crystal Palace training ground today, Tuesday off, we take Wednesday and I expect him to be back playing for us against Fredrikstad.”

Eze, 27, wants to join Spurs, who over the weekend are understood to have made an opening offer in the region of £60m.

His potential departure will also depend on whether or not Palace can land a replacement before the window closes.

They are chasing Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss and Club Brugge midfielder Christos Tzolis.

Glasner added: “The players are giving the answer week by week, it was the same last week against the Community Shield, winning against Liverpool on penalties.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

“Then starting here against the Club World Cup champions.

“It just shows that this group is such a great group of characters.

“We have no influence on all the noise and all the rumours around us, but we know what we want to do, we know how we want to play, and this is what we want to show every single game.

“The players did great.

“They didn’t just show they are great footballers, but they are great people and that’s what I expected.”

Eze previously had a £60m release clause, including a further £8m in add-ons, but Glasner confirmed that has now expired and said his star man’s future was in the hands of club bosses.

4

Glasner added: “I’m quite calm.

“I also know, we have two weeks to go and I know Ebs’ clause is gone.

“So it’s the club’s decision, and we will see what happens.”

4

TRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW

Ticket struggles

Chelsea fans are furious at the club’s new ticketing system, after the club warned fans to arrive early to their Premier League opening game.

Loyal supporters have been left queuing well outside the stadium, with fans’ tickets NOT working as they try to enter the stadium. 

The new system has already been blasted an ‘Absolute shambles’ as Blues’ fans wait outside the Bridge in the hopes of getting a glimpse of a ‘Special unveiling’ at 1pm.

One supporter who paid as much as £230 for a ticket has been told his ticket is invalid, and remains outside the ground as the club look to resolve the issue.

Chelsea incentivised fans to arrive early for the game, seemingly in anticipation that the new system at Stamford Bridge might have some teething problems.

The club offered 50% off of drinks to anyone who arrived between 12pm-1pm, with the turnstiles open since 12:30pm.

Fans outside the ground told SunSport that the app would not load as they got to the gates to show their tickets, and those who’s app would load would then face their tickets disappearing before entry.

While on X, one posted: “My match tickets have disappeared from the Chelsea app despite activating them this morning. Is anybody having this issue or know a solution?”

And another said: “All the fans struggling to get in for the game. Do better @ChelseaFC.”

CRYSTAL PALACE fans have been struck by another bout of tough luck as the Premier League has rescheduled their upcoming match with Aston Villa

The match, scheduled to be held at Villa Park on Friday August 29th, has been moved to a 7pm Sunday kick-off.

4

4

Play Dream Team now!

Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season

The move adds insult to injury following the confirmation of their demotion to the Europa Conference League for the upcoming season.

The rescheduling has been made to accommodate the second leg of the Eagles’ opening fixture of that competition.

They will face either Fredrikstad or Midtjylland on August 28th.

The decision has piled the misery on to fans who are only just coming to terms with the brutal rejection of their CAS appeal on Monday.

Some fans have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction with the impractical timing of the fixture.

One fan said: “7pm on a Sunday is outrageous.”

Another sarcastically pointed out the difficulties the fixture can bring travelling fans.

They said: “Oh brilliant. That will be fun with an early shift the next day.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

4

4

The game’s 9pm finish will cause havoc for fans making the over-200-mile round trip from Selhurst Park to Villa Park.

The topsy-turvy week just keeps getting more conflicting for fans following their surprise victory over Liverpool to secure the Community Shield on Sunday.

Ecstasy made way for disappointment as news emerged of their defeat at CAS the following day.

Now news has emerged that Spurs have joined Arsenal in their pursuit of Palace talisman Eberechi Eze.

And now Liverpool have reportedly agreed terms with Palace captain Marc Guehi over a move to Anfield.

Should one or both of those deals go through, the club will be in dire shape ahead of their season opener at Chelsea this weekend.

Crystal Palace have said “sporting merit is rendered meaningless” after losing their appeal against demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League.

After winning the FA Cup last season, Palace qualified for Europe’s secondary competition but were punished by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) sided with Europe’s governing body on Monday.

In a strongly worded statement, Palace said it was ” almost impossible to receive a fair hearing.”

“The decision by Uefa and followed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport shows that sporting merit is rendered meaningless,” Palace said.

“It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power.

“This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way.”

Palace added they will “continue to take legal advice on the next steps” as they prepare to compete in the Conference League.

Tottenham are exploring a deal for Crystal Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze.

Thomas Frank is looking to bolster his options in the final third after attacking midfielder James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Eze scored 14 goals across all competitions for Palace last season, including in their 1-0 win against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The 27-year-old made his England debut in 2023 and has won 11 caps for the Three Lions, including three appearances at Euro 2024.

Tottenham are also in talks with Manchester City over a move for Savinho but multiple sources have indicated that Eze is now emerging as a player of serious interest for Spurs.

There is no confirmation as to whether Tottenham will look to progress with deals for both Brazil winger Savinho and Eze.

FA Cup winners Crystal Palace upset Premier League champions Liverpool in English season opening Community Shield.

Crystal Palace twice came from behind to stun a new-look Liverpool and win the FA Community Shield for the first time on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Wembley.

New signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scored for the Premier League champions, but Palace responded through Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr before winning an error-strewn shootout 3-2 on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah blazed over from the spot, while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by an inspired Dean Henderson as Palace built on winning their first ever major trophy by beating Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final.

The traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season was given extra significance after a summer marked by tragedy for Liverpool.

Forward Diogo Jota was killed in a car accident alongside his brother Andre Silva.

Reds legend Ian Rush and Palace chairman Steve Parish laid wreaths on the side of the pitch before kickoff, while the Liverpool end was awash with banners and flags paying tribute to the Portuguese international.

A minute’s silence, however, had to be cut short due to disturbances in the crowd.

Jota’s death has dampened the excitement over Liverpool’s transfer spending spree to build on a squad that romped to a record-equalling 20th league title last season.

All four of their new signings at a cost of 260 million pounds ($350m) – Ekitike, Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez – started.

Ekitike’s role this season could depend on whether Liverpool are successful in their pursuit of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

But the Frenchman – signed from Eintracht Frankfurt last month for an initial 69 million pounds ($93m) – made his case to be Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s preferred number nine, no harm at all.

Wirtz also bagged his first assist for the Reds when Ekitike spun onto the German’s pass and fired into the far corner in just the fourth minute.

Palace were making their first-ever appearance in the fixture, but the Eagles again showed their ability to match one of the Premier League’s giants over 90 minutes.

Mateta missed a glorious chance to level when he failed to beat Alisson Becker one-on-one.

But from the rebound Sarr charged into the box and was tripped by an out-of-sorts Virgil van Dijk.

Mateta coolly sent Alisson the wrong way from the penalty spot to equalise.

Liverpool’s players were sporting a “Forever 20” emblem, referencing Jota’s now-retired shirt number, that they will wear all season.

The Liverpool fans had risen to chant Jota’s name as the game entered the 20th minute when their side retook the lead.

Frimpong’s chipped cross caught out Henderson and flew into the far corner.

Ekitike wasted a great chance for his second early in the second half from another Wirtz pass, as this time he fired over.

However, Slot’s new-look side are still to find the right balance between attack and defence, as has been evidenced during pre-season.

Palace were a constant threat with balls in behind the Reds defence and levelled again 13 minutes from time.

Sarr sped onto Adam Wharton’s through ball and calmly slotted past Alisson for his fourth goal in seven games against Liverpool.

Liverpool also survived a VAR review for a penalty against Mac Allister for handball before the match went to a shootout without extra time.

Youngster Justin Devenny was the unlikely hero as he blasted the winning spot kick high past Alisson, showing Salah, Mac Allister and Elliott how it is done.

View of SunSport’s Martin Lipton from Wembley

Penalties, then. But the longer that went on, the more likely Palace were to win it.

Credit to Glasner and his side.

They might have caved in with the way Liverpool started, boosted by that terrific Etitike opener.

But they refused to buckle, trusted in their game plan and got stronger and stronger as the match wore on.

Indeed, Mateta, set up by Richards, had a great chance to clinch it.

The disruption of the Jota “silence” was a black mark for the Palace fans. A huge one.

After that, though, they were relentless in creating a wall of noise, backing their team, slaughtering Uefa and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

It was the palace supporters who created the atmosphere. Then again, Liverpool are used to this place. For Palace, it is still something new.

As is a shoot-out for a trophy.

Callum Ryan, 24, paid £35 for a general admission ticket to walk around the Buckingham Palace gardens on July 22, 2025, and was surprised to find a cafe at the Palace

A tourist was left gobsmacked after discovering a “secret” café at Buckingham Palace and being charged an “extreme” £11 for a slice of cake and a bottle of water.

Callum Ryan, 24, had shelled out £35 for a general admission ticket to explore the Palace gardens on July 22, 2025. To his surprise, he stumbled upon a café nestled behind the Royal residence, open for a limited 10-week period during the summer months until the end of September.

Despite being taken aback by the price list, which included an afternoon tea box for two priced at £50, Callum decided to treat himself to a slice of carrot cake and a bottle of water. The content creator from Wandsworth, London, found the Palace’s pricing “reasonable” given the regal surroundings and expressed his desire to return with his girlfriend.

Have you been shocked by the price of something on holiday? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: ‘Trolls want me banned from flying due to my size – I refuse to book a second seat’

He shared: “It wasn’t rammed in the café, and wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, which was nice, and the atmosphere wasn’t too bad either. I would pay money for this again, and I would love to take my family and girlfriend here because I think this is a really good experience.”

After spotting an advertisement online, Callum booked his visit to the Buckingham Palace gardens on July 22, 2025. Upon paying £35 for a general admission ticket, he discovered the café situated on Buckingham Palace’s West Terrace, just beyond the exit from the State Rooms.

Callum added: “You see a lot of Buckingham Palace behind the scenes, and you get to see things that you never see before. There were things that have been there since the palace first opened, and I even got to see the spot where all the Kings and Queens take their royal pictures.

READ MORE: Palma Airport strikes due to kick off this week in latest holiday blow for BritsREAD MORE: Cyprus travel warnings for Brits as deadly wildfire rips through the island

“It was actually a really cool experience, and there is a strict no pictures protocol, which I thought was good.”

Callum nipped in for a bite to eat and reckons the priciest thing on the menu was an afternoon tea box – costing £50 but feeding two people. Though he reckons coffee is fairly priced, with a hot chocolate and a cappuccino setting you back around £3 to £4 each.

Callum opted to keep things simple and grabbed a carrot cake and a bottle of water, which set him back £11. He said: “It was banging. The cake was really good, and as the bottle of water was reusable, it was nice to take it home. The atmosphere in the café was nice and everyone in there was loving it.”

List of items on the menu:

• Afternoon Tea Box – £50
• Americano – £3.80
• Tea – £3.60Flat white – £4.50
• Americano – £4.80
• Hot Chocolate – £4.60
• Cappuccino – £4.40
• Reusable water bottles – £4.50
• Strawberry and cream – £5.50

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.

A decision is expected on or before 11 August, with the Europa League group stage beginning on 24 September.

The rules of European football’s governing body state that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.

Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline Palace missed.

Palace argued Textor does not hold any decisive influence at the club, but Uefa did not accept the Premier League club’s defence.

Speaking to The Rest is Football, external podcast last week, Palace chairman Steve Parish said he was “very hopeful” the decision would be overturned.

“We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know, unequivocally, that John [Textor] didn’t have decisive influence over the club,” he said.

“We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”

A group of Liberal Democrat MPs have asked the culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene over Uefa’s “disgraceful” decision to demote Crystal Palace from the Europa League for breaching its multi-club ownership rules.

The seven politicians from London – including party leader Sir Ed Davey – wrote to express “deep concern” over what they called “a highly unusual and severe punishment on the club that raises serious questions about fairness and transparency in the governance of English football”.

The Eagles, who qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup – their first major trophy – in May, were demoted to the lower tier Conference League on Friday.

The rules of European football’s governing body state that clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.

American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Palace and is the majority owner of French club Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.

Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.

In a letter seen by BBC Sport, the group of Lib Dems described the saga as “heart-breaking for fans”.

“Other clubs seem to go through much more protracted disputes with less severe outcomes,” they said.

“Many believe that this process has been opaque and disproportionately punitive [and] risks undermining not only the club’s achievement but also public confidence in the fairness of football governance.”

Crystal Palace supporters have staged a protest against Uefa’s decision to demote the club to the Conference League.

On Tuesday, hundreds of fans marched to Palace’s Selhurst Park ground carrying banners and chanting against European football’s governing body.

The Eagles, who qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May – their first major trophy – were demoted to the lower tier of Uefa competition after breaching multi-club ownership rules.

American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Crystal Palace and is the majority owner of French club Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.

The rules of European football’s governing body state clubs owned, to a certain threshold of influence, by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.

Uefa’s rules set a deadline of 1 March 2025 to show proof of multi-club ownership restructuring – a deadline which Palace missed.

Textor is currently in the process of selling his stake in Crystal Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.

Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, are set to replace Palace in the Europa League.

Palace are expected to take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

“At the end of the day it’s an injustice, just by a couple of admin errors. We qualified for it,” Nick Philpot from the Red and Blue Review podcast said at the march.

“We won the cup – it should be we go into it without any question about it.

“You’re penalising the entire club and the fanbase. Why would you do that?”

Last week, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish called the decision “a bad day for football” and “a terrible injustice”.

“We’ve been locked out of a European competition on the most ridiculous technicality,” he said. “Supporters of all clubs should be devastated for us.”

Uefa has been approached for comment.

Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has said he feared the club’s participation in Europe would be in doubt moments after they won the FA Cup in May.

Textor’s involvement with both Palace and French club Lyon looks set to cost the Eagles a spot in the Europa League under Uefa’s rules governing multi-club ownership.

Textor has agreed to sell his 43% stake in Palace to fellow American Woody Johnson, who owns NFL team the New York Jets.

Asked what he went through his mind after Palace beat Manchester City at Wembley, Textor told Talksport: “I was very happy, but I felt the gravity of it. And I was concerned on the same day holding the cup next to the Prince [William].

“It was a great moment and I couldn’t have been happier for the fans, but yeah, I was worried about what was coming.”

This week Lyon won an appeal against their relegation from Ligue 1 because of the club’s poor financial state.

French football authorities demoted the seven-time champions into Ligue 2 last month, but that decision has been overturned.

It could affect Palace’s chances of playing in the Europa League next season as Lyon have also qualified for the competition, with Uefa set to rule on the situation at the end of the week.

Textor stressed that while he has “helped” the club, his role at Selhurst Park has not been a majorly active one.

“I help a lot. I showed up during Covid and paid off Covid debt. I helped finish the academy,” he added.

“I am sitting there on the board with four other guys. Steve Parish is making the decisions and bringing us players. He involves us but he doesn’t really listen to us.

“A suggestion from time to time is not the same as decisive influence.”

King Charles will say the UK and France must stand united in the face of a “multitude of complex threats”, when he speaks at a state banquet for French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron and his wife Brigitte will be welcomed by the King and Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales, as they arrive for a three-day state visit – the first by a French president since 2008, and the first by a European Union leader since Brexit.

The banquet will be a highlight of the trip, with famous faces, a showcase menu and a message from the King about the “shared history and culture between our two peoples”.

The King’s speech will warn of threats in defence, technology and climate change.

“For centuries our citizens have admired each other, amused each other, and imitated each other,” the King will say at Tuesday evening’s banquet, which will be held at Windsor Castle, as Buckingham Palace is being renovated.

He will warn of current risks “emanating from multiple directions” and challenges that “know no borders” from which “no fortress can protect us”.

“Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world,” the state banquet speech will say.

Defence, growth, security, migration and French efforts to tackle small boats are all expected to be discussed during the state visit.

Sylvie Bermann, who was the French Ambassador to the UK from 2014 to 2017, described the small boats issue as difficult but said that France was “making progress” on it.

Responding to criticism within the UK that the British government has given too much money to France to try and deter small boat crossings without seeing any results so far, Ms Bermann said: “The UK is paying because we [France] is doing the job for the UK… you can’t prevent all of them [small boats] but we are doing our best.”

A state visit is a “soft power” opportunity to strengthen partnerships, with the French visit set to reinforce links with the UK in trade, diplomacy and defence, at a time of uncertainty about the US stance on issues such as military backing for Ukraine.

A UK-France summit at Downing Street on Thursday, hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, is also likely to discuss ways of stopping illegal migration on small boats across the Channel.

Starmer and Macron are also expected to speak by phone to other allied nations who are looking to support any future peace deal in Ukraine.

The start of the visit on Tuesday will see ceremonial spectacles, with senior members of the Royal Family ready to greet the French visitors and to celebrate the “entente cordiale”, in the first French state visit since 2008.

Prince William and Catherine will greet the French president and his wife when their plane touches down at RAF Northolt.

King Charles and the Queen will then formally welcome them on a dais that has been built in Windsor town centre.

There will be horses, as well as political horse-trading, with a carriage procession through Windsor, ahead of a royal salute and military parade at Windsor Castle.

On Wednesday, Macron will see a horse that he gave to the late Queen Elizabeth II, to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

The French president and his wife are also set to visit the tomb of the late Queen, during their stay in Windsor.

The UK government has spoken of wanting to “re-set” post-Brexit relations with European neighbours and Macron’s visit will be a public endorsement of the longstanding alliance with France.

MPs and peers will be able to hear Macron when he gives a speech to the Houses of Parliament.

Advances in science will be highlighted during the visit, with examples of artificial intelligence and innovative technology being shown to the French visitors at Imperial College London.

King Charles and Queen Camilla carried out a state visit to France in 2023, where he received a standing ovation for his speech to the French Senate.

He had given a strongly worded message of support for Ukraine after Russia’s “horrifying” invasion. The King had also highlighted the “existential challenge” of climate change.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — President Trump has a sleepover this week in the Netherlands that is, quite literally, fit for a king.

Trump is visiting The Hague for a summit of the 32 leaders of NATO on Wednesday, and his sleeping arrangements have received a significant upgrade.

He is scheduled to arrive Tuesday night and be whisked by motorcade along closed-off highways to the Huis Ten Bosch palace, nestled in a forest on the edge of The Hague, for a dinner with other alliance leaders hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander.

Trump had been expected to stay at a swanky hotel in the town of Noordwijk on the Dutch North Sea coast, but not anymore.

A spokesperson for the Dutch government information service, Anna Sophia Posthumus, told the Associated Press that the president will be sleeping at the palace that is home to Willem-Alexander, his Argentine-born wife, Queen Maxima, and their three daughters, though the princesses have mostly flown the royal nest to pursue studies.

Parts of Huis Ten Bosch palace date back to the 17th century. It has a Wassenaar Wing, where the royal family live, and a Hague Wing that is used by guests. The centerpiece of the palace is the ornate Orange Hall, named for the Dutch Royal House of Orange.

The palace is also close to the new U.S. Embassy in the Netherlands.

Trump is no stranger to royal visits. In 2019, he dropped in to Windsor Castle for tea with Queen Elizabeth II during a tumultuous visit to the United Kingdom.

Corder writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Molly Quell in The Hague and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.