For the first time in their history, the Eagles lifted a European trophy on a warm evening in Leipzig as Oliver Glasner signs off with the perfect leaving gift.
MATCH INFORMATION
| 27 May 2026 – 8pm |
| Crystal Palace 1-0 Rayo Vallecano |
| Conference League |
| Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany |
PLAYER RATINGS
| 1 | Dean HENDERSON © | 7.0 |
| 2 | Daniel MUNOZ | 7.0 |
| 23 | Jaydee CANVOT | 6.9 |
| 5 | Jefferson LERMA | 7.2 |
| 34 | Chadi RIAD | 7.1 |
| 3 | Tyrick MITCHELL | 7.8 |
| 18 | Daichi KAMADA | 7.8 |
| 20 | Adam WHARTON | 8.0 |
| 10 | Yeremy PINO (29 Evann GUESSAND 80 mins) | 7.4 (6.1) |
| 7 | Ismaila SARR | 7.1 |
| 14 | Jean-Philippe MATETA (22 Jorgen Strand LARSEN 76 mins) | 7.6 (6.2) |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 8 Jefferson LERMA, 11 Brennan JOHNSON, 17 Nathaniel CLYNE, 19 Will HUGHES, 24 Borna SOSA, 26 Chris RICHARDS, 31 Remi MATTHEWS, 44 Walter BENITEZ, 55 Justin DEVENNY, 59 Rio CARDINES
| 13 | Augusto BATALLA | 6.4 |
| 2 | Andrei RATIU | 6.3 |
| 24 | Florian LEJEUNE | 6.8 |
| 6 | Pathe CISS | 6.6 |
| 3 | Pep CHAVARRIA | 6.5 |
| 18 | Alvaro GARCIA (22 Pacha ESPINO 70 mins) | 6.1 (5.7) |
| 7 | Isi PALAZON (12 Ilias AKHOMACH 77 mins) | 6.2 (6.0) |
| 19 | Jorge de FRUTOS (10 Sergio CAMELLO 70 mins) | 6.3 (5.8) |
| 23 | Oscar VALENTIN (32 Nobel MENDY 62 mins) | 6.2 (5.9) |
| 17 | Unai LOPEZ (4 Pedro DIAZ 62 mins) | 6.0 (6.0) |
| 9 | Alexandre ZURAWSKI | 6.0 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 1 Dani CARDENAS, 8 Oscar TREJO, 15 Gerard GUMBAU, 20 Ivan BALLIU, 30 Adrian MOLINA,
POST GAME QUOTES
OLIVER GLASNER
“It was a game how we expected, but I think we played incredibly fifteen minutes after half-time. Then we defended so well. A fantastic evening. This group of players, fans they deserve to win it.
I see myself as part of this group. As manager you can’t do anything alone, you need a great staff, great football players. That is what this group is. They stick together. We created that mindset that everything is possible if you work hard. My mindset in life is if you invest in something you get something back, in your job, sports, family, friends, kids. Today we had the pay off.”
JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA
“I feel fantastic. We did it. First time in Europe. I just want to celebrate, and I just want to party.”
TYRICK MITCHELL
“It’s something you dream of, but you don’t think it’s reality. We showed it’s reality. I am just proud of everyone past and present that helped us get to this point.
We have played 60 games this season. We had times when we weren’t winning. But if it all meant that we got here and won it we’d do it all over again!
It’s amazing. The same feeling as when we won the FA Cup. Just pure delight.”
ADAM WHARTON
“Last game as Palace manager – the difference he has made in two and half years is incredible. He has got to be one of the best managers Palace has ever had.
He has made a massive difference for how the club looks at competitions. We are not just looking to stay in the Premier League and be in Europe, we are looking to win it and be as high as possible.
I missed out on the FA Cup celebrations last year, so I am going to make up for it this year. You can’t put the feeling into words – it is incredible.”
DEAN HENDERSON
“These boys – they amaze me. It is very special. They have run around all year. We have had difficult times throughout the season, but on nights like this the boys deliver. There is a mixture of emotions. It is like a weight lifted off your shoulders as you want to deliver. The manager deserves his send-off and this is how it should have ended.”
STEVE PARISH
“Even to be in Europe, it’s so good, travelling around. Then to come and win it is just incredible. All the ups and downs this season we’ve had, it’s just brilliant to get to this point. Getting to the Europa League where we deserve in the end, it just shows you, sometimes the good guys win.
To win an FA Cup, a Community Shield, a European title at the first time asking – an incredible achievement. It means everything. When I bought the club, I wasn’t sure we’d ever play in Europe, let alone win a trophy. It’s all of our dreams come true. Now we’ve had a taste of it we want to keep it going.”
MATCH STATISTICS
| Star Man | Adam WHARTON (8.0) |
| Goals | Jean-Philippe MATETA (51) |
| Assists | None |
| Total shots | 11 – 10 |
| Shots on target | 3 – 1 |
| Yellow cards | Pathe CISS (20), Isi PALAZON (23), Adam WHARTON (42), Unai LOPEZ (48), Alvaro GARCIA (62), Yeremy PINO (74), Chadi RIAD (82), Nobel MENDY (85), Pacha ESPINO (90) |
| Red cards | None |
| Possession | 42.2% – 57.8% |
| Pass success | 76.4% – 80% |
| Passes | 305 – 414 |
| Aerials won | 23 – 27 |
| Tackles | 12 – 12 |
| Fouls | 16 – 15 |
| Corners | 4 – 1 |
| Saves | 1 – 2 |
BOB’S POINT OF VIEW
Bob White was a coach at Palace under the tenure of Steve Coppell and Alan Smith and will be sharing his point of view each week in our review article.
Sitting here now back at home thinking was it all a dream on one special evening in Leipzig on Wednesday 27th May 2026?
Fortunately, it wasn’t as we completed a hat-trick of trophies in the past year. An incredible achievement. Our supporters did us proud once again contributing to each of those three successes.
Glasner prepared us well tactically and the players delivered his masterplan perfectly. From a cagey first half we gained full control of the game once that first goal was scored after half-time. Scoring first was always going to be a significant factor in deciding the outcome of the game.
We should have scored a couple more in the second half but in reality, we were never really threatened and kept the Rayo attack at arm’s length. Defensively we set traps once Rayo reached the final third of the pitch. Henderson only had one long range attempt to deal with plus a few comfortable catches from deep crosses.
Wharton was made the official man of the match but in my opinion Kamada and Mitchell pushed him close.
A special mention to the Rayo Vallecano fans who made a huge contribution to the atmosphere in the stadium. It’s a game that will live long in our memories.
Finally, our heartfelt thanks to Oliver Glasner as he leaves his role as manager. He took us to a level of success that was beyond most of our fans wildest dreams. Up the Palace!
TEB VERDICT
Words cannot describe the feeling that us Palace fans had on Wednesday evening. Whether you were in Germany courtesy of one of the many route’s fans were taking to get out and support their team, or at Selhurst Park, or at home, it is still a real pinch yourself moment.
Success has never been the reason for supporting Palace, but three trophies in just a twelve-month period is quite astounding. This is not us, this is not what we do. The only trophy that we have seen the Eagles lift is the Zenith Data Systems Cup which always needs a description when you mention it.
That old trophy will not get a mention very often now, as a single goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta was enough to ensure Dean Henderson was on the podium to lift the Europa Conference League trophy.
The stadium was a cauldron of noise with both sets of fans going at it for the duration of the game, not to mention before and after. Credit should go to both for creating a setting worthy of a European final.
In truth, the Premier League side kept the Spaniards where they wanted them by restricting their front line to a couple of clear-cut chances which they squandered. The Palace defence standing firm for the duration, which missed Chris Richards with Chadi Riad deputising impressively.
The winning goal was created by Adam Wharton. Picking the ball up deep, the midfielder who will not be going to the World Cup, was allowed to get to the edge of the penalty area where he decide to take a shot. The Rayo goalkeeper did poorly with a parry that fell to Mateta who knocked it into an empty net. The goal sent the thousands of Palace fans into a frenzy of unbridled joy and plenty of emotion.
Just like the FA Cup final, that was the only goal that was needed on the night to see the side from South London take their very first European title at their first attempt.
While it was a real team effort, you have to highlight the individual performances of Adam Wharton, Diachi Kamada, and Tyrick Mitchell who were outstanding all evening. Ismaila Sarr was the top scorer and was named player of the tournament.
The Eagles took over the former East German city of Leipzig and it will be remembered for a very long time, friendships and stories to last a lifetime no matter what the next chapter in the history of the club brings.
There are far too many images and stories from that night in Leipzig to mention in one match review, but we have to end our final one of the season with a huge thank you to Oliver Glasner. It has been quite a journey since the Austrian joined the club as manager. We were dreamers before he arrived, he made us into believers by the time he left.
