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Crystal Palace Reach Conference League Final, Beat Shakhtar

5/8/2026

36 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Palace Secures Final

Crystal Palace secured a Conference League final place on May 7 by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1, winning 5-2 on aggregate.
Daniel Muñoz opened scoring after his cross hit Pedro Henrique for an own goal.
Ismaila Sarr’s ninth tournament goal kept him the competition’s top scorer.
Palace will meet Rayo Vallecano in the final on May 27 in Leipzig, a win that Dean Henderson said shows a strong bond with supporters.

Summary

Glasner Departs

Oliver Glasner will leave Palace after the 2025-26 season, announcing his exit after the third-round FA Cup defeat in protest of the club’s transfer policy.
He guided Palace to its first FA Cup win in 2025 and a Community Shield in 2025-26.
Palace’s campaign began with a failed Swiss-court appeal against demotion to the Conference League, with the final set for 27 May 2026 at Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena.

History

Historical Context

Steve Coppell took charge of Crystal Palace in 1984, leading them to the 1990 FA Cup final and a third-place league finish in 1990-91, the club’s highest ever. After a 2013 return to the Premier League, Palace have logged a thirteenth consecutive top-flight season and now face Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2025-26 Conference League final, echoing their earlier Wembley drama.

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Palace Secures Final

Crystal Palace secured a Conference League final place on May 7 by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1, winning 5-2 on aggregate.
Daniel Muñoz opened scoring after his cross hit Pedro Henrique for an own goal.
Ismaila Sarr’s ninth tournament goal kept him the competition’s top scorer.
Palace will meet Rayo Vallecano in the final on May 27 in Leipzig, a win that Dean Henderson said shows a strong bond with supporters.

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