Crystal Palace find themselves at the centre of a High Court battle after Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis lodged a defamation claim over a banner unfurled by Eagles supporters. In short: Marinakis sues Crystal Palace, with CPFC Limited named as one of two defendants in a case that drags a bitter piece of last season’s history back into the spotlight.
According to the BBC, the Greek businessman’s lawyers filed the claim at the High Court on Monday, taking aim at a banner that depicted him holding a gun to the head of Forest and England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
Why Marinakis Is Suing Crystal Palace
The banner in question appeared during the 1-1 Premier League draw between the sides at Selhurst Park last August. Alongside the image, it carried the pointed line: “Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption.” Marinakis, who bought Forest back in 2017, has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to such allegations.
It is not the first time the display has landed Palace in hot water. In November 2025, the Football Association charged the club with failing to ensure that supporters did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive or provocative way. While the banner was not specifically named as the reason for that charge, there are strict rules governing messaging that is defamatory, political or offensive – and this one ticked more than one of those boxes.
The Gibbs-White Backdrop
The choice of Gibbs-White as the figure in the crosshairs was no accident. The England international came close to leaving the City Ground last summer after Tottenham appeared to trigger a £60m release clause, only to sign a new contract and commit his future to Forest – a decision he later discussed in an interview sitting alongside Marinakis himself. For a section of the Selhurst crowd, that loyalty clearly became a lightning rod.
There is history between these two clubs that runs deeper than one afternoon in south London, too. Marinakis-owned Forest took Palace’s place in the Europa League last season after the Eagles were moved down to the Conference League for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules – a ruling that stung Palace supporters and helped stoke the ill feeling on the terraces. That the club went on to win the Conference League and climb back into the 2026-27 Europa League has not entirely soothed the wound.
What Happens Next
For now, this is a legal matter rather than a footballing one, and Palace will be careful about what they say publicly while the claim works its way through the courts. The BBC reports that it has approached both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest for comment, and the club is yet to respond formally to the filing.
It is an unwelcome distraction as Pierre Sage tries to keep the focus on the pitch during a busy summer window, with the Eagles preparing for a demanding season across the Premier League and a return to European competition. The rivalry with Forest, meanwhile, only continues to simmer – and you can read more on the bad blood in our look at the Palace-Forest flashpoint.
What is clear is that a banner from a year ago has now become a courtroom headache for the club. Palace supporters will be hoping it is resolved quickly and quietly – and that the noise stays firmly off the front pages once the football restarts.
