Oliver Glasner’s prep for Palace’s biggest game yet: Home comforts, five-hour coaches’ meetings and head tennis | OneFootball

Oliver Glasner has leaned on home comforts, long staff meetings and head tennis to prime Crystal Palace for tonight’s UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. According to NY Times, rhythm and past lessons underpin his approach.

Palace have skipped the RB Arena’s eve-of-game session, sticking to their base. Only Fredrikstad and AEK Larnaca were exceptions, a stance influenced by his 2022 Europa League win with Eintracht Frankfurt after training at home.

An early-career misstep rotating an entire XI still shapes him. He avoids wholesale changes, grants extra recovery after positive results, and keeps matchdays simple, with breakfast, a short meeting and the gym.

His ledger features the Europa League in 2022, the FA Cup last May and the Community Shield in August. Rayo now offer the chance of a third major trophy in 13 months.

In Germany the squad dined together last night, with a relaxed evening and optional lie-in. Head tennis today serves as activation and a gauge of mood, because he wants players free rather than tense.

Preparation is opponent-led. Staff meetings can run five hours, he personally scouted recent rivals and watched Rayo beat Valencia, then began showing players tailored clips last week, with concise sessions praised inside the camp.

He preaches business as usual and winning through Palace’s strengths, yet acknowledges past setbacks. He delayed naming his Arsenal XI until late Saturday, and now a meticulously briefed team must deliver.

Source: NY Times