Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace know they can write another chapter in club history when they face Shakhtar Donetsk in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final at Selhurst Park on Thursday. Palace carry a 3-1 lead from the first leg, and Glasner said the chance to reach a European final is now just 90 minutes away.
The Palace manager framed the night as more than a routine European tie. He said it would be the wrong job for him not to feel excited about such a big game, adding that this is why players and coaches love to be involved in football. Glasner also said everybody at the club is excited and that if that feeling ever disappeared, it would be a sign for him to retire.
The weight of the occasion is obvious in the numbers. Palace have won the FA Cup and the Community Shield in the last two years, and Glasner said what the players have done for the club in that period is “just incredible.” He said that success is part of the reason the squad believes it can write history again, with a third trophy in the last year still in reach if they finish the job in the conference league.
That view has been built over the course of a season that has already pushed Palace deep into unfamiliar territory. They are close to playing in a European final, and the manager said the squad has been working hard while enjoying the atmosphere around the training ground. He pointed to Thursday as the 55th game, a marker that underlines how long the campaign has become and how little margin is left.
There is also an edge to the story that goes beyond the result in south London. Glasner said he is leaving in the summer, which means this run is unfolding with his time at the club already counting down. He said the group have hopefully three weeks left together and that they want to end the season in the best possible way, words that give the tie a sense of finality even before the whistle is blown.
Palace have already shown they can handle big nights, including European and domestic occasions that drew heavy attention, and this one carries the same kind of pressure. With a 3-1 first-leg lead, they do not need perfection against Shakhtar. They need control, composure and one more performance that matches the standards they have set in the last two years. For Glasner, the chance is clear and the emotion is real: one more strong night, and Palace move within touching distance of a place in the European final.
