Crystal Palace are set to learn their European fate at the end of the month – but legal challenges could drag the saga out even further.
UEFA bosses hope to inform the Eagles whether they will be thrown out of the Europa League under rules on multi-club ownership by June 30.
However, there is a strong likelihood that either Palace themselves - or other sides impacted by the verdict – will then take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Should Palace, who won the FA Cup, fail to convince bosses that majority owner John Textor, who also holds a controlling stake in fellow Europa League participants Lyon, does not have influence at Selhurst Park and subsequently be denied their place they are expected to appeal to the Swiss-based adjudicators.