Crystal Palace have the chance to win their first ever European trophy when they face Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the final of the Conference League on Wednesday evening in Leipzig.
Oliver Glasner's side have had a solid campaign in the Conference League so far, but won't find it easy against a plucky Rayo side who have made it to the final in only their second European campaign in their history.
Rayo are nine games unbeaten across comeptition since losing 3-1 to AEK Athens in the second leg of the Conference League's quarterfinals, after they had won that first leg 3-0.
Rayo finished eighth in LaLiga, while Palace finished 15th in the Premier League. However, their form in the Conference League has been excellent, losing just one match in the knockout stages, a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina in Florence, a tie in which they won 4-2 after a 3-0 home win.
Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday's big match:
How to watch:
The game will be shown on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and HBO Max in the UK, Paramount+ in the U.S., SonyLiv in India and beIN Sports 2 in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Wednesday, May 27 at 8.00 p.m. BST (3.00 p.m. ET, 12.30 a.m. IST, Thursday, and 5.00 a.m. AEST, Thursday).
Venue: Leipzig Arena, Leipzig
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
VAR: Marco Di Bello (Italy)
Team News:
Crystal Palace
Borna Sosa, D: muscle, DOUBT
Chris Richards, D: ankle, DOUBT
Cheick Doucouré, M: knee, OUT
Eddie Nketiah, F: hamstring, OUT
Rayo Vallecano
Luiz Felipe, D, hamstring, OUT
Ilias Akhomach, F: thigh, OUT
Talking Points:
Chance for Palace to better Wembley from last year
After their last Premier League game of the season on Sunday, which Palace lost to Arsenal, Oliver Glasner said his greatest night as Palace boss was yet to come in Leipzig on Wednesday. The Austrian has led Palace into some heady times, none higher than last year's twin wins at Wembley, when they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May 2025, and then followed that up by beating Liverpool in the Community Shield in August.
However, those would still pale in comparison to what Palace could achieve in Leipzig on Wednesday evening, as they attempt to become the third English side to win the Conference League, after West Ham United and Chelsea.
Biggest day in Rayo's history
While Palace have their own history to create, Rayo will be no pushovers. They have been one of the stories of this season.
Under coach Iñigo Pérez, just 38, they don't just play like plucky underdogs. They are a tenacious side, but they can be free-scoring too, like they showed in their 3-0 quarterfinal first leg win against AEK Athens, and in the semifinal against French side Strasbourg.
Isi Palazón is perhaps the most important player for Rayo in the final, with his ability to find space in between lines, and a nice goal-scoring habit too.
The likes of Alemão and Álvaro García have also been amongst the goals in this competition, as Rayo aim to end English hopes of a European hat-trick this season, which could happen if Palace win this game and Arsenal win the Champions League final against PSG on Saturday.
Glasner's last game in charge could be the greatest
Oliver Glasner will leave Crystal Palace this summer, and will already go down in the club's folklore, following those wins at Wembley last year. However, he knows that he has an opportunity to sign off in the greatest possible way. Winning a European trophy isn't an opportunity that comes around everyday, but beyond that, it could also set Palace up to continue to challenge after Glasner's departure.
A win in this game would mean a place in next season's Europa League, which would once again mean the opportunity to build from a strong base for the new manager who comes in this summer. Even if Palace do lose some important players like Jean-Phillippe Mateta and Adam Wharton this summer, being in European competition next season as well gives them an opportunity to replace those players from a strong position.
Of course, neither Glasner nor Palace will be thinking that far, but it is an opportunity for a Crystal Palace legend to seal his legacy with the biggest win in the club's history. He has already won one European trophy, with Eintracht Frankfurt, before, in the Europa League, and this is an opportunity to add another.
