Adam Wharton was the star of the show as Oliver Glasner gave Crystal Palace fans the perfect parting gift by leading the Londoners to a fully deserved 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the final of the Conference League on Wednesday night. Right from the first whistle, Wharton had the look of a man determined to make a mockery of Thomas Tuchel's decision to leave him out of the England squad for this summer's World Cup in North America.
Crystal Palace supporters were caught up in violent scenes in Leipzig just 24 hours before the Conference League final. As travelling fans gathered in the city centre to celebrate the highly anticipated match against Rayo Vallecano, an organised group suddenly launched a targeted ambush that required immediate police intervention.
U.S. Men's National Team defender Chris Richards is facing a race against time to be ready for the upcoming Conference League final, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner revealed on Thursday. The American defender suffered an ankle injury in a recent match against Brentford, and that injury could impact World Cup preparation for the U.S. men's national team star.
Crystal Palace lined up a first European campaign on the back of their historic FA Cup win in 2025 and are now bound for the Conference League final. That is not the competition that they expected to grace, but a protracted qualification squabble with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest delivered a change of plans. Ex-Eagles star Clinton Morrison has told GOAL why there should not be any regrets in south London or the East Midlands.
Lyon are facing the devastating prospect of being expelled from UEFA competition next season as the governing body prepares to take action over financial irregularities. Despite sitting on the verge of Champions League qualification, the French giants have reportedly failed to comply with the strict terms of a settlement agreement reached last summer.
Diego Moreira hailed teammate Emanuel Emegha after the striker attempted to calm furious supporters following Strasbourg’s Conference League semi-final exit. Boos and insults echoed around Stade de la Meinau despite the club’s historic European run following their defeat to Spanish side Rayo Vallecano on home soil on Thursday.
Senegal international Ismaila Sarr has written his name into the history books by scoring the fastest Conference League goal ever. The Crystal Palace forward needed mere seconds to break the deadlock during his side's semi-final first-leg encounter against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Shakhtar Donetsk head coach Arda Turan has heaped praise on AZ Alkmaar sensation Kees Smit, labelling the midfielder a "special" talent destined for the very top of the game. Despite his side securing a 3-0 victory in the Conference League quarter-finals, the Turkish manager was left awestruck by the youngster's ability to dictate the tempo of the match against his team.
Crystal Palace delivered a tactical masterclass at Selhurst Park to sweep aside Fiorentina with a convincing 3-0 victory. Jean-Philippe Mateta was the protagonist, scoring once and providing another as Oliver Glasner's side took control of their Conference League destiny.
Crystal Palace dismantled Fiorentina with a ruthless 3-0 victory at Selhurst Park, leveraging a high-intensity 3-4-2-1 system to exploit the visitors' defensive frailties. While Fiorentina maintained a slight edge in possession, Oliver Glasner’s side dominated the quality of chances, accumulating a staggering 3.45 xG to secure a commanding Conference League result.
Oliver Glasner has been informed that he may have talked himself out of contention for Manchester United’s managerial post, with the Crystal Palace boss receiving a “stepping stone” warning. The Austrian was considered to be a leading contender to take charge at Old Trafford following Ruben Amorim’s departure, but Clinton Morrison has told GOAL why a more scenic route to the top may have to be taken.
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
