Historical past beckons in Leipzig as Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano go head-to-head within the 2026 Conference League final.
For each golf equipment, this marks their first-ever look in a significant European closing, providing a golden alternative to raise their maiden worldwide trophy and safe a coveted ticket to subsequent season’s Europa League.
Whereas the Eagles’ Premier League type tailed off in direction of the top of the marketing campaign to complete fifteenth, Oliver Glasner’s males have saved their most interesting performances for the continent.
Having already guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, the departing Austrian manager shall be determined to log off his memorable Palace tenure with one other piece of European silverware so as to add to final 12 months’s historic FA Cup and Neighborhood Protect triumphs.
Standing of their approach is a extremely motivated Rayo Vallecano aspect led by Iñigo Pérez. Very like Palace, Los Franjirrojos have relied on a fiercely passionate fanbase and an intense, combative taking part in identification to punch effectively above their weight on the European stage.
Earlier than this season Rayo’s greatest run in Europe was a quarter-final within the 2001 UEFA Cup.
Right here’s how the edges line up:
Crystal Palace staff information
Jean-Philippe Mateta will get the nod to begin in assault as Chris Richards misses out in defence. The USA worldwide is just on the bench.
Adam Wharton, who was a doubt, is match sufficient to begin.
Palace XI: Henderson, Riad, Lacroix, Canvot, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Pino, Mateta
Rayo Vallecano staff information
Rayo XI: Batalla; Rațiu, Lejeune, Pathé Ciss, Chavarría; Valentín, Unai López; Álvaro García, Isi Palazón, De Frutos; Alemao.
The place to look at Palace v Rayo: TV channel, dwell on-line streams
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Dwell TV protection within the UK is on TNT Sports activities 1 and TNT Sports activities Final.
Streaming is on the HBO Max app. TNT Sports activities prices £30.99 a month and is on the market on an unlimited vary of gadgets together with sensible TVs and gaming consoles.
Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano stats
- That is Palace’s second season in European competitors and first since their 1998 Intertoto Cup marketing campaign, shedding 2-0 residence and away in opposition to Samsunspor within the third spherical
- Palace are the third English membership – all from London – to achieve the Convention League closing, after West Ham (2022/23) and Chelsea (2024/25), who each went on to raise the trophy
- They’re aiming to change into the twelfth completely different English membership to win a significant UEFA males’s membership competitors after Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Ipswich, Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and West Ham
- The Eagles have misplaced solely three of their 16 Convention League matches this season (W9 D4)
- With 25 objectives, Palace are the highest scorers on this season’s Convention League (league part to closing) and have three greater than nearest rivals Rayo Vallecano (22)
- Ismaila Sarr has scored in Palace’s final 5 Convention League matches (six objectives in complete) and is the highest scorer within the competitors correct this season with 9 objectives
- Yeremy Pino was the youngest Spanish participant to begin a significant European closing, aged 18 years 218 days, when he gained the 2020/21 Europa League with Villarreal
- Daichi Kamada scored within the penalty shoot-out as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers within the 2021/22 Europa League closing
- Rayo Vallecano have misplaced solely 4 of their final 20 European matches (W14 D2)
- Their solely earlier European marketing campaign took them to the quarter-finals of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, shedding to fellow Spanish aspect Alaves 4-2 on mixture (3-0 away, 2-1 at residence)
- Meaning they’ve reached their first UEFA closing of their second season of European competitors
- Actual Betis turned the primary Spanish staff to achieve the Convention League closing, shedding 1-4 to Chelsea final season
- Rayo coach Inigo Perez got here on in its place as Athletic Membership misplaced 3-0 to Atletico Madrid within the 2011/12 Europa League closing
- In his first UEFA marketing campaign in cost, Perez might change into the second Spanish coach to win the Convention League after Jose Luis Mendilibar’s 2023/24 triumph with Olympiacos
- Brazilian ahead Alemao scored the one purpose in every leg of Rayo’s semi-final in opposition to Strasbourg, in what was the primary assembly between Spanish and French groups within the Convention League correct
