Crystal Palace Reaches Conference League Semi-Finals with Resilient Victory
Captain Dean Henderson praised Crystal Palace for their “sensational” achievement after they secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Conference League, overcoming Fiorentina with a 4-2 aggregate victory. The Premier League side traveled to Tuscany with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg but faced a spirited Fiorentina, who won the second leg 2-1 after Ismaila Sarr initially put the Eagles ahead in the 17th minute. Palace's next challenge comes against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, with matches scheduled away on April 30 and at Selhurst Park on May 7. Henderson expressed his excitement, stating, “This is unbelievable... for this football club it’s sensational really.” He acknowledged the unwavering support from the fans throughout a challenging season and emphasized their goal of winning the tournament. Sarr notched his seventh goal of the European campaign and 17th of the season, with a powerful header assisted by Daniel Munoz. Despite the setback of a penalty from Albert Gudmundsson and a goal from Cher Ndour that momentarily narrowed the gap, Palace held firm to make history by reaching their first European semi-final. However, the match brought injury concerns for Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who had to make two first-half substitutions due to injuries to Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix. Wharton appeared to have aggravated an adductor issue, while Lacroix reported knee discomfort but reassured fans via social media. Glasner commended his team for their resilience and acknowledged the significance of reaching the semi-finals, noting, “It’s a massive achievement for the players, it’s a massive achievement for Crystal Palace.”
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-04-16