Crystal Palace claimed their first major European title on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig.
French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta became the hero for Palace after slotting home the decisive goal in the 50th minute, securing a historic triumph for the South London club.
The victory marked Palace’s first-ever European silverware and capped a memorable campaign despite the club finishing 15th in the Premier League.
It was also a fitting send-off for head coach Oliver Glasner, who confirmed in January that he would leave the club at the end of the season. Glasner departed on a high after guiding Palace to a landmark continental success.
Palace endured a challenging route to the final, including an emphatic 5-2 aggregate victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the semifinals to book their place in a first European final.
Rayo Vallecano, meanwhile, exceeded expectations throughout the competition.
The Spanish side avoided the knockout playoffs after finishing fifth in the league phase and shocked Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate in the semifinals to reach their maiden major final.
Although the LaLiga side arrived in Leipzig unbeaten in eight matches and full of confidence after finishing eighth domestically, they were unable to complete their fairytale run with silverware.
