Crystal Palace Win First-Ever European Trophy After Mateta Scores Decisive Goal
Crystal Palace won the UEFA Conference League after defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the final, with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring the decisive second-half goal to secure the club’s first-ever European trophy.
The victory in Leipzig caps a remarkable two-year spell for the Eagles under manager Oliver Glasner.
The Austrian tactician guided Palace to their first major trophy when they defeated Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final. The South London club also lifted the Community Shield after overcoming Liverpool on penalties.
Reports suggest Glasner could leave the club at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract amid frustrations over Palace’s transfer dealings during the campaign.
Crystal Palace were initially set to compete in the Europa League but were demoted to the Conference League after breaching UEFA multi-club ownership regulations. The issue arose because former co-owner John Textor held shares in both Palace and Lyon, with the French side also qualifying for the Europa League.
However, Palace have now secured qualification for the 2026/27 Europa League by winning the Conference League title.
The Eagles finished outside the top eight during the league phase and had to navigate an additional knockout play-off round. On their way to the final, they defeated Zrinjski Mostar, AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr finished as the competition’s top scorer with nine goals in 13 appearances, while no other Palace player scored more than twice.
