Glasner's long Palace goodbye sets up 'perfect' finale

Breaking news from the world of sport: Glasner's long Palace goodbye sets up 'perfect' finaleImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Crystal Palace will face Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on 27 MayByMichael EmonsBBC Sport journalist at Selhurst ParkPublished7 minutes agoCrystal Palace desperately did not want to be in the Conference League - now they are one game from winning it and creating more club history. On one of the greatest nights a passionate and raucous Selhurst Park has seen, the Eagles beat Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 to seal a 5-2 aggregate success in the semi-finals. Having won the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025 at Wembley, their remarkable European journey started in a Swiss courtroom, unsuccessfully appealing their demotion into the Conference League from the second-tier Europa League.

But since then, Palace have not looked back. They have travelled to Norway, Poland, France, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Italy and back to Poland, with one last stop to come - the final in Germany. And should Palace lift the trophy on Wednesday, 27 May, in Leipzig against Spanish side Rayo Vallecano, who defeated Gary O'Neil's Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate in their semi-final, it would complete an unprecedented phase of success for the club.

Match Details

Boss Oliver Glasner, who will leave in the summer having only been appointed in February 2024, is on the verge of a third trophy in a remarkable period. Even the 51-year-old could not believe what has been achieved. "I spoke to the chairman before the match, he always comes into my office," said Glasner afterwards.

"I said, 'do you ever think we would be playing in the semi-final of a European competition? "I said, 'when we talked for the first time three years ago, I didn't think about it'. This is what you achieve if you work hard and stick together in tough moments - and we have had a few.

When you stick together in difficult moments, you get the reward. "Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar to reach Conference League final Electric atmosphere at Selhurst ParkImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ismaila Sarr scored his ninth goal of the Conference League, to become the top scorer in the competition"I really enjoy the European nights at Selhurst," added the Austrian. "We had to grow into the competition and the fans had to grow.

Reactions and Expectations

If you look when we started against Larnaca, the level of excitement increased and increased. "At Selhurst Park on Thursday it reached fever pitch. While the Shakhtar fans bounced in one corner, the home supporters played their part in creating a fantastic atmosphere, with everyone clapping and cheering.

Never before has the club anthem of 'Glad All Over' been sung louder, with added pyrotechnics enhancing the party mood further. "It was a fantastic atmosphere and a great night at Selhurst," added Glasner. "It's a huge achievement and great credit to the players, everybody could see how good Shakhtar are.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.