Glasner eyes ideal Palace farewell in Conference League final

LEIPZIG: Oliver Glasner says he wants a storybook finish to his time at Crystal Palace as he prepares to take charge of the club for the last time in Wednesday's Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Germany.

The Austrian manager is set to leave at the end of the campaign after announcing in January that he would not extend his stay beyond the expiry of his contract. His departure came after apparent frustration over the club's transfer policy. Glasner's spell at Selhurst Park has brought the most successful period in Palace's history since he arrived in 2024.

He led the south London side to the first major trophy in their 120-year existence by winning the FA Cup in his first full season. Palace then opened the current campaign by beating Liverpool in the Community Shield. A win over Rayo would deliver the club's first European title and also send Palace into next season's Europa League, one year after UEFA removed their place in that competition because of multi-club ownership rules.

Final chance for another trophy

Glasner has built a reputation for strong knockout performances. He guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022 and reached the German Cup final the following year. Palace's run to the Conference League final came despite a difficult domestic stretch earlier in the season, when the team went 12 matches without a victory before February.

During that period, pressure grew on the manager and some supporters turned against him, a mood not helped by his message to fans to stay humble and remember where they had come from. Even so, chairman Steve Parish kept him in place, and Glasner has since taken Palace into their first European final.

Speaking to UEFA on Monday, Glasner said he would have regarded a drop in standards after his exit announcement as a personal failure.

"I would always feel I had failed if the team had dropped off (after his announcement), because I told them 'you don't need to play for a manager'.. "It would be a perfect ending. When you watch a movie, when you read a book, you always hope that there is a happy ending. "To end this more than two-year journey with another trophy, with the first European trophy in Crystal Palace's history, that would be incredible."

Rayo chasing their own milestone

Rayo Vallecano are also appearing in a European final for the first time. The Spanish side ended the La Liga season one point behind Getafe, who claimed Europa Conference League qualification ahead of them. By winning on Wednesday, however, Rayo can secure a place in the Europa League for only the second time.

Rayo reached the final by defeating Strasbourg home and away in the semi-finals. Strasbourg, are part of the BlueCo multi-club group alongside Chelsea. Palace had earlier lost 2-1 to the French club during the group stage.

Glasner said Rayo had earned their place in the final and warned of the threat they carry, especially in transition and out wide.

"All four teams who play the semi-finals deserve to play the final because they have done so well in the competition, and Vallecano are the same," Glasner said. "(Rayo are) very quick, playing in transition, with quick wingers, always able to score goals. "They don't concede many," he added.

The final offers both clubs the chance to claim a first European trophy, but for Glasner it also represents an opportunity to close his Palace tenure with another landmark success.