Why 'sensational' Palace & Conference League Are Good Fit

ByGary Rose

BBC Sport journalist

Almost a twelvemonth agone Crystal Palace fans knowledgeable a time they will person felt could ne'er beryllium topped.

On Saturday, 17 May 2025, their broadside famously hit Manchester City to triumph nan FA Cup - a first awesome trophy occurrence successful their 120-year history arsenic a master club.

It was a once-in-a-life-time infinitesimal for those connected pinch nan Eagles - but they will now beryllium pinching themselves erstwhile again arsenic they find themselves conscionable 1 measurement distant from a first awesome European last appearance.

Making their debut successful this competition, Palace booked a gathering pinch Shakhtar Donetsk successful nan Conference League semi-finals aft overcoming Italians Fiorentina complete 2 legs.

They mislaid nan 2nd limb connected Thursday 2-1 but aft winning nan opener 3-0 astatine Selhurst Park, nan fans who had travelled to Italy were wished not to fto thing spoil their party.

Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson summed up nan emotion arsenic he told TNT Sports: "This is unbelievable for this shot club, sensational erstwhile you deliberation of nan FA Cup past play and past to support going and create a caller section successful nan book.

"The togetherness successful nan group is phenomenal and astatine nan business extremity of nan season, we travel together.

"We've conscionable sewage to support pushing connected and build momentum."

When nan Conference League was first introduced backmost successful 2021 location were immoderate who questioned nan worth of nan competition.

But it has offered galore teams nan chance to do thing they had ne'er done earlier - triumph a awesome European trophy.

There were chaotic scenes of ceremony erstwhile Roma became nan inaugural winners, while nan pursuing twelvemonth West Ham claimed a melodramatic last-minute occurrence against Fiorentina to extremity their 43-year hold for a awesome trophy.

Thousands gathered successful nan streets of eastbound London to invited backmost nan victorious Hammers, underlining really overmuch nan triumph meant to nan nine and their supporters.

Palace fans will nary uncertainty consciousness nan aforesaid should their broadside spell each nan measurement and declare yet much silverware successful a memorable 12 months.

Former Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins said connected TNT Sports: "The past mates of seasons person been incredible.

"They ne'er expected to beryllium successful a European title a mates of seasons agone but now they are going from spot to spot successful this competition.

"They will consciousness they tin spell each nan way."

Midway done this season, though, it looked for illustration things were derailing for Palace.

The man who had led them to their FA Cup triumph, Oliver Glasner, seemed connected nan verge of leaving aft criticising nan club's ownership successful January for "abandoning" nan team.

Palace were connected a mediocre tally of shape astatine nan clip which had seen them driblet down nan table, while they vanished 10th successful nan Conference League group phase.

On 16 January Glasner stated he would time off astatine nan extremity of nan play erstwhile his statement expired - an announcement that near Palace fans concerned astir nan remainder of nan campaign.

But aft that confirmation and Glasner remaining successful nan post, nan club's shape steadily improved. After beating Zrinjski Mostar complete 2 legs successful their Conference League play-off, they person since beaten AEK Larnaca and now Fiorentina to scope nan past four.

Key to their shape successful Europe has been striker Ismaila Starr, who scored his seventh extremity successful nan title successful Thursday's 2-1 loss.

Five of those 7 goals person travel since February, while he has scored 17 successful each competitions.

"The assortment of goals he scores are key," said ex-Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott.

"He has ever scored bully goals but nan little glamorous ones that are arsenic important, he has added them to his game."

Despite being debutants, Palace were installed arsenic favourites to triumph nan Conference League astatine nan commencement of nan season.

It took a while for them to unrecorded up to that tag, pinch galore of their performances successful Europe looking somewhat turgid.

But their 3-0 triumph against Fiorentina - two-time finalists successful nan Conference League - showed what they are tin of.

Next up for Palace is simply a two-legged semi-final pinch Shakhtar, pinch Strasbourg facing Rayo Vallecano successful nan different tie.

"They made ray activity of them [Fiorentina] really, but from present connected successful they will expect immoderate really reliable games, location is immoderate bully value successful nan competition," added Tomkins.

"The mobility is whether they tin bring nan positivity from nan first leg. That was nan champion I've seen them for a while, nan three-week break did them nan world of bully and they looked for illustration nan squad we saw early this play and past season."

The play will extremity pinch Glasner's departure, but it could besides extremity pinch a European prize.

"Of course, that is what we each want," said nan Austrian.

"We want to bask our life together, not conscionable nan football. The much successful you are, nan much you bask your life.

"When you play nan semi-final, you want to get it each astatine nan extremity and that's what we will spell for."