A sold out Selhurst Park under the lights will be in fine voice to cheer on the players to finish the job and secure a place in the Europe Conference League Final.
The Eagles return to South London for the second leg contest against Shakhtar with a healthy two goal lead ahead of kick off.
As a result of that impressive first leg result, there is only one way that the visitors from Shakhtar have to play against Palace at Selhurst. It is clear that they are dangerous going forward with plenty of attacking talent, but their defensive frailties were there for all to see in Krakow.
It is unlikely to be a foregone conclusion, as this is Palace, but the defeat at the weekend against Bournemouth may give the visitors a bit of a boost. Having said that, at no point did Oliver Glasner have his first choice eleven on the pitch.
Shakthar themselves were victorious at the weekend, 2-1 winners against Dynamo Kiev in the Ukrainiain league, a side that Palace have already played this season in the Conference League.
Lucas Ferreira and Lassina Traore netted for The Miners in a result that puts them ten points clear at the top of the table and on the brink of winning the title after a poor showing last season.
They have been training at Hayes Lane since arriving in London, the home of League Two Champions Bromley, which they have rented to prepare for the second leg.
As for Palace, Glasner will be confident of completing the job at home after the great work in Poland. The Austrian has claimed that the players will have to play better than they did in the first leg to see off the visitors, which is clear why there were several changes in the Premier League encounter with Bournemouth at the weekend.
Palace will continue to miss Eddie Nketiah, Cheick Doucoure and also Borna Sosa. It was hoped that Evann Guessand would be fit to play a part but he will not make the squad. Will Hughes returns from illness which saw him miss out on the defeat at the weekend.
Glasner was typically jovial in his press conference ahead of the game with the stand out quote being ‘The fans want honey again. They won’t be happy with avocado.“
While the league form has seen Palace drop slowly down the table, the prize on offer is vast and history making should the Eagles win a place in the final in Leipzig.
Match Preview
UEFA Europa Conference League | Semi‑final, Second Leg
Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Kick‑off: 8:00pm BST
Venue: Selhurst Park, London
Crystal Palace stand just 90 minutes away from the first European final in the club’s history as they welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Selhurst Park for the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi‑final, holding a 3–1 aggregate lead from the first leg in Kraków.
📌 The Context
Oliver Glasner’s side produced a superb away performance last week, with Ismaïla Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Jørgen Strand Larsen all on the scoresheet in Poland. That result gives Palace a two‑goal cushion but leaves no room for complacency against a Shakhtar team packed with European experience.
For Shakhtar, managed by Arda Turan, the task is clear: score early and turn the tie into a shootout. The Ukrainian champions have won just one of their last four Conference League matches, but they remain dangerous going forward and sit comfortably top of their domestic league.
🦅 Crystal Palace: Form & Focus
Palace arrive off the back of a heavy 3–0 Premier League defeat at Bournemouth, though Glasner rested several key players with this European tie in mind. At Selhurst Park, the Eagles have been formidable in Europe, losing just once at home in the competition and keeping three straight knockout‑round clean sheets.
Ismaïla Sarr has been the star man in Europe, netting seven Conference League goals, including the opener in the first leg, and remains Palace’s primary counter‑attacking threat.
⚒️ Shakhtar Donetsk: What They Need
Shakhtar must chase the game, which suits their high‑tempo, attack‑minded style. Players such as Kauã Elias, Eguinaldo and Lassina Traoré will be key if they are to unsettle Palace’s back three. However, defensive fragility has been an issue — they have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven matches.
🚑 Team News
Crystal Palace
- Out: Eddie Nketiah, and Cheick Doucouré
- Doubts: Borna Sosa, Will Hughes, and Evann Guessand
- Expected returns to the starting eleven include Adam Wharton, Chris Richards, Ismaila Sarr, Tyrick Mitchell, and Jean‑Philippe Mateta.
Shakhtar Donetsk
- Out: Yukhym Konoplya
- Doubt: Marlon
- Key Brazilian players restored after rotation at the weekend.
Officials
- Referee: Alejandro Hernández Hernández (ESP)
- Assistants: José Naranjo and Diego Sánchez Rojo (ESP)
- Fourth official: José María Sánchez Martínez (ESP)
- VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP)
- Assistant VAR: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández (ESP)
🔍 Tactical View
Palace are likely to be compact and pragmatic, happy to cede possession and exploit space in transition — exactly the approach that worked so well in the first leg. Shakhtar, by contrast, will push bodies forward, risking exposure at the back against Sarr’s pace and Palace’s set‑piece threat.
🔮 Prediction
With the Selhurst Park crowd behind them and a healthy aggregate advantage, Palace look well placed to finish the job.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1–1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Crystal Palace win 4–2 on aggregate.
If Palace progress, they will move on to the Conference League final in Leipzig on 27 May 2026, marking a historic milestone for the club.
