Crystal Palace will square up with Rayo Vallecano in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Wednesday night.
Oliver Glasner has the chance to end his Crystal Palace stint with yet another trophy when his team squares up with Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. While the Austrian tactician will be eyeing his second European title, Inigo Perez will look to guide Rayo to their first-ever major title since their promotion to the top flight.
The Eagles have not had the best of seasons domestically, as they could only manage a 15th-placed finish in the Premier League. On top of that, there has been a lot of drama surrounding Glasner, who has had his disagreements with the ownership and has decided to depart from Selhurst Park this summer.
However, Palace have been a force to reckon with in the Conference League, and now the Austrian manager has the chance to leave with his head held high by guiding the club to their first-ever European title. While they took down Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals without much trouble, the Eagles are heading into this fixture on the back of a four-match winless run.
Rayo Vallecano, who have been in the Spanish top flight since 2021, have secured an eighth-placed finish for the second season running. The Franjirrojos have been quite consistent over the last 24 months, and they will give it their all to secure their first major title at the highest level.
While they did secure Conference League football with an eighth-placed finish last term, Rayo must win here to ensure they compete in Europe next season. They defeated Chelsea’s sister club RC Strasbourg in the semi-final and are heading into this fixture on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run. The Spanish outfit will certainly be confident about their chances. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner’s team will be without the services of Chris Richards (ankle), Cheick Oumar Doucoure (knee), and Edward Nketiah (hamstring), while Borna Sosa (muscle) is a doubt for the UEFA Europa Conference League final.
The Eagles will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with skipper Dean Henderson taking his spot between the sticks. Meanwhile, Jaydee Canvot will start alongside Maxence Lacroix and Chadi Riad in the central defensive unit.
The back three will look to keep things tight, and they will receive significant support from Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell, who will feature as the wing-backs. As for the midfield unit, the in-demand Adam Wharton will pair up with Daichi Kamada in the centre of the park.
The duo will look to ensure the Eagles have the majority of the ball. Ismaila Sarr and Yeremy Pino will be the two attacking midfielders behind Jorgen Strand Larsen, who will continue to lead the line for Crystal Palace against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Canvot, Lacroix, Riad; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Strand Larsen
Rayo Vallecano
The Spanish club will be without the services of Luiz Felipe (hamstring) and Ilias Akhomach (thigh) due to injury. Apart from the duo, everyone else is expected to be available for selection when Rayo Vallecano take on Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Inigo Perez’s team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Augusto Batalla will take charge in goal. Andrei Ratiu and Alfonso Espino will be the full-backs, while Pathe Mendy will pair up with Abdul Mumin at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Gerard Gumbau and Oscar Valentin will form the double pivot in the middle of the pitch. They will look to shield the backline and ensure the Eagles do not enjoy too much easy possession in their half.
Alvaro Garcia and Sergio Martin will feature on the flanks for the Spanish outfit, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Pedro Diaz will take up the number ten role behind Randy Nteka, who will spearhead the Rayo Vallecano attack against Crystal Palace this week.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Batalla; Ratiu, Mendy, Mumin, Espino; Gumbau, Valentín; Garcia, Diaz, Martin; Nteka
Key Stats
- Rayo Vallecano have been unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions.
- Crystal Palace have been winless in their last four games heading into this fixture.
- Rayo have secured back-to-back eighth-placed finishes in La Liga.
- The Spanish club are fighting for their first ever major title since their promotion to the top flight in 2021.
- Oliver Glasner is eyeing his second European title, while also looking to win his third trophy with Crystal Palace in his final game in charge.
Player to Watch
Ismaila Sarr
Sarr has been one of the standout performers for Crystal Palace this season. The 28-year-old winger has 21 goals and two assists in his 44 outings across competitions. While the player prefers playing on the right flank, he has been equally effective as a second striker and an attacking midfielder.
The Senegalese international has nine goals in the UEFA Europa Conference League. He has scored in each of their last five European games, and there is a high chance of him being on the scoresheet yet again in the final. He could prove to be a very difficult opponent for Rayo Vallecano’s defenders on the big night.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 2-1 Rayo Vallecano
Crystal Palace will certainly be under pressure heading into this final, especially considering their poor run of form in recent weeks. However, cup competitions have been a completely different story for Oliver Glasner’s team this season. The Eagles have looked dangerous throughout their Conference League campaign, and they do possess enough quality to hurt Rayo Vallecano’s defence.
Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano have been one of the most consistent teams in the competition and will head into this fixture full of confidence after going unbeaten in their last nine games across competitions. Inigo Perez’s men have shown exceptional organisation and resilience throughout the campaign, but facing a physically dominant Crystal Palace side in a European final could prove to be a massive challenge.
While the Spanish outfit should put up a strong fight, the Premier League side might just have enough experience and attacking quality to edge this contest. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the Eagles.