Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace’s stormy season ends in Conference League glory | OneFootball

Crystal Palace sealed a tumultuous season by beating Rayo Vallecano to lift the UEFA Conference League in Leipzig, Jean-Philippe Mateta the match-winner as Oliver Glasner and Steve Parish raised the trophy.

Glasner slid through a guard of honour, echoing 2022 Frankfurt, then bowed with the cup. It was a farewell. According to NY Times, he blew kisses as Henderson led celebrations and fans reworked a chant to Frankfurt, the Europa League ahead.

After an early December win at Fulham and a 3-0 defeat of Shelbourne, Palace went 11 games without victory. Injuries bit, Daniel Munoz needed knee surgery, Ismaila Sarr spent six weeks at AFCON, and Daichi Kamada and Eddie Nketiah suffered hamstring problems, the latter out since late December. Palace responded by signing Brennan Johnson for £35million then Jorgen Strand Larsen for an initial £43m.

After confirming he would leave in the summer, he said after a 2-1 loss to Sunderland that the squad felt abandoned. Following a 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea on 25 January, a Soho dinner at Ham Yard helped reset relations after a Macclesfield shock and Marc Guehi’s sale to Manchester City. Palace weighed Sean Dyche but kept faith, sporting director Matt Hobbs easing tensions. By his Selhurst farewell, the home crowd were singing his name again.

Leaders in the dressing room, among them Maxence Lacroix, Will Hughes and Henderson, regrouped the squad. Four wins in seven from early February, starting 1-0 at Brighton, steadied the league as focus turned to Europe.

In Leipzig, Glasner and Parish shared the cup and a season scarred by rows ended in redemption and a Europa League adventure to come.

Source: NY Times