Crystal Palace secured a 2-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park on Thursday, advancing 5-2 on aggregate to reach the Conference League final – their first major European showpiece. Ismaila Sarr's second-half strike proved decisive on the night, earning Palace a trip to Leipzig on 27 May to face Rayo Vallecano.
The hosts weathered early pressure from Shakhtar before Sarr broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Despite a late goal from the Ukrainian side, Palace held firm to complete a dominant aggregate win. Manager Oliver Glasner praised his squad's mentality, saying: 'The second goal showed everything about this team. This is the reward you can't buy.'
'This is what our fans deserve,' Glasner added. 'It was our 55th game of the season, and nobody looked fatigued.' The Austrian, who announced his departure earlier this year, described the final as 'massive' and vowed to give everything for European silverware in his last match in charge.
The victory completes an all-English trio of European finalists, with Aston Villa beating Nottingham Forest 4-0 on the night (4-1 on aggregate) to reach the Europa League final against Freiburg. Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on 30 May. As a result, Spain will gain an extra Champions League place next season, likely benefitting Real Betis.
Adam Wharton called the atmosphere 'exceptional' and noted the team's resilience after a thin squad struggled through December and January. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson added: 'Winning the FA Cup gave us confidence. We've got an ambitious group, but we must win the final to get what we deserve.'
Palace will now prepare for their first European final in club history, with Jean-Philippe Mateta already eyeing the challenge: 'Rayo Vallecano? Do we have a chance? Yes, we have a chance!' The match in Leipzig promises to be a fitting climax to a historic campaign for the Eagles.
