Shocking Premier League Banner Leads to Lawsuit: Controversial Owner Sues Rival

Evangelos Marinakis' legal team filed a defamation lawsuit in a London court on Monday against Crystal Palace and "unknown individuals." This action comes almost a year after fans unfurled a banner during a Premier League match between the two clubs, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Alongside an image, the banner read: "Mr. Marinakis is not involved in extortion, match-fixing, drug trafficking, or corruption." The Greek shipping and media magnate has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with these allegations.

The match on August 24th of last year was played amidst heightened tensions after Nottingham Forest effectively took Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League. The London club was relegated to the Conference League for violating UEFA's multi-club ownership rules.

Marinakis, the 59-year-old Greek businessman, owns not only Nottingham Forest but also Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus and Portuguese side Rio Ave. This information was reported by AFP.