Crystal Palace will take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday night at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. The Eagles, who won the FA Cup for the first time in their history last year, are now aiming to secure their first European trophy.
Match Details
The match kicks off at 8pm UK time at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, with streaming available for subscribers on HBO Max. Unlike previous years, the match will not be shown on YouTube or any free platform. Subscriptions can be purchased online.
Oliver Glasner's Farewell
This final marks the last game for manager Oliver Glasner, who is leaving at the end of his contract this summer. He could cement his legacy as the club's greatest manager with another trophy. Glasner urged his players to end his reign in style and secure a Europa League spot for next season, which they were denied after winning the FA Cup due to multi-club ownership regulations.
Speaking at a press conference, Glasner said: 'They had a nice farewell to me and then I said a few words. I said for me that the best thing would be of course 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 would like to watch on TV that they start with the desire and the confidence that we can win the Europa League as well. This would make me really happy because then I think we created a mindset all together where at the end it's always successful. That doesn't mean that you win a trophy every single year but at the end you will always get the best out of every single player. That's why I hope that we win tomorrow and these players can play European football again next year.'
Rayo Vallecano's Journey
Rayo Vallecano finished eighth in La Liga this season, matching their position from the previous campaign. Under 38-year-old head coach Inigo Perez, who took charge in February 2024, the Spanish side have impressed. Perez is regarded as one of the top young managers in Europe. This is only the second time Rayo have competed in European competition, following their appearance in the 2000/01 UEFA Cup. In the knockout stages, they defeated Samsunspor, AEK Athens, and Strasbourg to reach the final.
Team News
Glasner provided an update on the fitness of Adam Wharton and Chris Richards, both pushing to be available for the final. 'I don't want to tell you yet if they can start or not,' he said. 'But they were available today in training and that's a good sign. We still have 36 hours before the game and the medical department will work hard [to get them ready]. They will work hard until late into the night. At the end of the day, we will nominate the starting XI who are 100 per cent fit. I will talk to them again tomorrow morning and if the player doesn't feel 100 per cent fit, then they won't start. They have pain, but I think many of the players have pain at the end of a long season. Everybody wants to participate. So the final decision will be taken tomorrow. I definitely know we will start with 11, and a different 11 will end the game. We need every single player ready to help the team.'
