Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish reflected with pride on the club's journey after their Conference League triumph, secured by Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. The victory, which also earned Palace a place in next season's Europa League, capped a tumultuous season for the south London club.
Parish, who saved Palace from administration in 2010, described the achievement as 'a dream come true.' The irony of captain Dean Henderson receiving the trophy from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was not lost on Parish, who had previously criticised UEFA for demoting Palace from the Europa League after winning the FA Cup last year.
Manager Oliver Glasner, who guided the club to their first major trophy last May, will depart this summer after a strained relationship with the hierarchy. Disagreements over transfers, including the sale of Eberechi Eze and the potential departure of Marc Guéhi, led Glasner to announce his decision to leave. Despite the tensions, both parties put aside differences for the European campaign.
Palace are now seeking a new manager, with Andoni Iraola, Frank Lampard, and Pierre Sage among the candidates. The club faces a challenge retaining key players such as Maxence Lacroix, Daniel Muñoz, Adam Wharton, and Ismaïla Sarr, who are expected to attract interest from bigger clubs.
