Shortly after Oliver Glasner arrived at Crystal Palace in February 2024, he pledged he was not the man to maintain the status quo.
If Palace were happy to just survive in the Premier League, he said, he was the wrong man for the job.
Almost two-and-a-half years later and the Austrian will sail off into the sunset as an immortal figure, having taken the club to unimaginable heights and cemented his status as their greatest ever manager, all the while transforming the lives of thousands of fans.
This is the night the Eagles wrote the greatest chapter in their history by lifting the Conference League, their third trophy in a year, with a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano.
Glasner has completely transformed this club and shown that anything can be achieved with a strong mindset and a relentless group of players.
Wherever he ends up next, the Austrian will never have to buy a drink in south London again, and having arrived promising courage and identity, besides leaving behind an ever-growing trophy cabinet, he parts with a legacy that has transformed Palace from underdogs into believers.
Oliver Glasner is an immortal figure at Crystal Palace after delivering their third trophy in a year
Jean-Philippe Mateta, who wasn’t supposed to even be at the club, scored the winning goal
Captain and goalkeeper Dean Henderson (centre) challenged the squad to ‘finish the movie off’ for their boss
The fact it was Jean-Philippe Mateta who secured the glory only added to this incredible story, given the French striker wasn’t supposed to even be here.
A transfer to Milan had been agreed until it broke down on deadline day when issues arose with his medical.
He was booed on his return in March, yet slowly won the trust back of fans, and two months later he will now go down as one of the most influential figures in Palace history.
It capped an incredible night in Leipzig for generations of Crystal Palace supporters who had been used to nights like this belonging to other clubs. After all, it is just 16 years since they marched through the streets of London to help save the club from bankruptcy – and only three after Roy Hodgson suggested they had been ‘spoiled in recent times’ following a decade where their highest Premier League finish was 10th.
The irony of this final taking place in Leipzig, home of Europe’s most famous multi-club model, was not lost on anyone, given Palace were demoted from the Europa League last summer for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules as a result of former part-owner John Textor’s alleged controlling stake in Lyon.
That did little to dampen the spirits of the thousands of jubilant Palace fans, who will now finally reach that stage, and painted the streets of Leipzig red and blue.
Ahead of the clash, Glasner had promised the best day of his tenure was still to come and urged his side to claim their rightful place in the Europa League. Skipper Dean Henderson, meanwhile, challenged the squad to ‘finish the movie off’ for their boss.
They have been favourites for this competition from the start, a tag Glasner has been reluctant to accept given their limited European experience, yet their European odyssey, taking them from Norway to Poland, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other far flung areas of Europe, was anything but straightforward.
Palace fans had been used to nights like this belonging to other clubs – but this was their time
At times, it seemed neither they nor Glasner would make it this far. Things came to head when fans made their feelings known after a drab draw at Zrinjski Mostar, and later unveiled banners which labelled him as ‘finished’ amid the club’s mid-season turmoil where the Austrian announced he would leave in the summer.
Yet Glasner never doubted he would see out his contract and gradually won back their support.
The Eagles boss was composed before kick-off, with Henderson citing their previous success in big games as helping to keep the squad calm.
They started brightly against Rayo, who are managed by Inigo Perez, formerly Andoni Iraola’s assistant, and Adam Wharton, passed fit despite hobbling off at the weekend, looked to take charge alongside Daichi Kamada, a Europa League winner alongside Glasner at Frankfurt.
Both teams were backed by incredible support with the smoke from pre-match flares engulfing the stadium on a scorching day, while the English fans unveiled an eye-catching Tifo which signalled just how far they have come.
Palace’s defence, without Chris Richards, who was only fit enough for the bench, looked a little less composed than usual though, and Alemao and Unai Lopez missed good chances, with Pep Chavarria causing plenty of problems down Rayo’s left side.
The Eagles were struggling to get Ismaila Sarr into the game and feared the worst when he went down in agony midway through a first-half that was briefly halted for a medical emergency in the crowd.
Despite the cagey affair, Glasner’s side should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when a delightful Wharton cross found Tyrick Mitchell six yards out, yet he headed agonisingly wide.
The result was a fitting finale to the most prosperous era the London club has ever known
Palace’s attacking play had been cumbersome, but they upped it immediately after the break, and six minutes in they had the moment they will never forget.
Wharton, superb all night, drove with the ball and fired a thunderous effort at goal which Augusto Batalla could only parry. Mateta reacted superbly to turn home, sparking wild scenes inside the Red Bull Arena as he booted the corner flag as is customary.
Mateta’s redemption arc was complete, yet this was never going to be easy as Palace somehow hit the post three times within five seconds from Yeremy Pino’s free kick.
They could have made it more comfortable, and there were some nervy moments at the other end, yet Glasner ensured he will be one of very few managers who will leave a club with his popularity at its highest.
With an organised, efficient and resolute display in a big game to cap off his tenure, this was a fitting finale to the most prosperous era the club has ever known.
