Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano fans clashed in Leipzig on Tuesday evening ahead of their teams' meeting in the Conference League final, German police reported on Wednesday morning. The violence involved bottles, beer glasses, and furniture being thrown when a group of around 300 Rayo supporters encountered Palace fans sitting outside restaurants. Officers also intervened in another incident where approximately 60 Palace fans provoked Spanish supporters.
Leipzig police confirmed that two people were detained, and two police officers sustained minor injuries but remained fit for duty. More than 300 individuals had their identities checked. Both clubs are contesting their first European final, with the match set to be Oliver Glasner's last in charge of Palace before he leaves the south London club at the end of the season.
Glasner led Palace to FA Cup glory last year, shocking Manchester City in the final, and his side now has a chance to secure more silverware despite a disappointing domestic campaign. The Eagles finished 15th in the Premier League, concluding their season with a 2-1 home defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. Meanwhile, Rayo finished eighth in La Liga and will aim to spoil Glasner's farewell on Wednesday night.
A victory for Palace would keep English clubs on track for a potential sweep of all three major European men's club competitions. Aston Villa won the Europa League last week by defeating Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul, and Arsenal are set to face current holders Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday. This marks the fifth Conference League final since the UEFA competition began in the 2021-22 season.
Roma claimed the inaugural title by beating Feyenoord, followed by West Ham overcoming Fiorentina the next year. Fiorentina fell short again in 2024, losing to Olympiacos in the Athens final, while Chelsea came from behind to thrash Real Betis 4-1 in last year's final before winning the expanded Club World Cup in the summer.
