Final will be manager Oliver Glasner’s last match in charge of the London club
Crystal Palace are eager to win Wednesday’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano and thereby secure an immediate return to the Europa League, according to manager Oliver Glasner.
The winners of the Conference League are promoted to the Europa League. Palace qualified for the Europa League at the start of this season but were demoted to the Conference League because of Uefa’s multi-club ownership regulations.
Winning the final will also mean that Palace secure yet another trophy in what will be Glasner’s final match in charge of the club.
The Austrian confirmed in January that he would leave at the end of the season after a spell that also delivered the Community Shield and built on the momentum of Palace’s FA Cup success last term. He said victory over Rayo would represent a chance for the squad to reclaim the European status they felt had been cruelly taken away.
“They had a nice farewell to me and then I said a few words,” Glasner said after the players held a send-off gathering on Monday. “The best thing would be winning tomorrow because then the players would be in the Europa League next year and then we get what we should have got this year.
“I hope that we win tomorrow and these players can play European football again next year.”
On our way, all together ✈️
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 26, 2026
Palace are already planning for life after Glasner. Andoni Iraola is understood to be their preferred successor, although the outgoing Bournemouth manager is also attracting interest from Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. Pierre Sage, who guided Lens to second place in Ligue 1 this season, is another candidate under consideration.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson admitted Glasner would be deeply missed after his departure following a successful tenure.
“I think he knows that from yesterday,” said Henderson. “The players did a send-off video and spoke from the heart.”
More than 15,000 Palace fans are expected in Leipzig to cheer the team on for the final. Henderson hopes the players can feed off the energy of the fans.
“The team’s got a special connection with the supporters,” the goalkeeper said. “It’s good to see since the manager has come in we’ve built that rapport with the supporters because I think it’s important. They can really help us tomorrow night.”
