Conference League: Palace eyes first European trophy as Glasner prepares for final match against Rayo Vallecano

Crystal Palace will have an ironic prize on offer if they beat Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday: a place in the competition in which they were originally due to play.

A season that began with Palace unsuccessfully appealing relegation from the Europa League will end with a chance to win its first European trophy in a competition it did not want to play in. The winner will receive a place in the Europa League for the 2026-2027 season.

It will be the last game at Palace for Oliver Glasner, the club’s most successful coach, before he leaves at the end of the season. Midfielder Will Hughes has called on the England team to give Glasner “a proper send-off” with the trophy.

Spaniard Rayo fought his way to the final despite a season marred by a fan boycott and a simmering feud between supporters and the club chairman.

Palace and Rayo are usually in the shadows of more successful neighbors. On Wednesday they will have the European spotlight to themselves. The Red Bull Arena in Leipzig is an unlikely business setting for two lively fans.

Far from the glamor of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Rayo is the Spanish capital’s third team, supported by passionate fans from a working-class neighborhood.

Pirate imagery and left-wing politics make Rayo stand out, with fans even boycotting a match, which turned out to be a stunning 3-0 win over Atletico, in protest against the club chairman. The team also briefly left the stadium because the field was unplayable.

Last season’s FA Cup victory, which qualified Palace for European competition, was the first major trophy for the team from an old-fashioned corner of south London. After hosting Arsenal’s Premier League title party on Saturday, Palace now have the chance for a party of their own.

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Under Glasner, Palace have made a habit of outperforming their bigger London rivals on a fraction of the budget, even if this often means parting with key players when a better offer comes along.

Palace are awaiting the fitness of American defender Chris Richards after he tore his ankle ligaments. Glasner said last week that Richards was “50-50” for the final. That could prompt Richards to weigh up how much he wants to risk his fitness ahead of the World Cup.

Rayo attacking midfielder Isi Palazón could be fresh for the final, having not played since the semi-final win over Strasbourg due to a suspension in the Spanish league for confronting a referee. He scored two crucial goals in the 4–3 win over Greek side AEK Athens in the quarter-finals.

Published on May 26, 2026