Crystal Palace head to Leipzig one game away from the biggest night in the club’s history, with Oliver Glasner’s side chasing a first European trophy in their first continental final.
Glasner has already confirmed this will be his final game as Palace manager, so this is not just a chance to win silverware. It is also an opportunity to give him the perfect farewell.
Palace arrive after a strange domestic finish, but their Premier League form should not carry too much weight here. For weeks, this final has clearly been the main event.
Rayo Vallecano have taken a different route to the same stage, turning a historic European run into a chance to win the biggest match in the club’s 101-year history.
Iñigo Pérez has built a side with energy, courage and enough attacking quality to make this far more than a Premier League side against plucky Spanish opposition. Palace deserve favouritism, but this final has enough edge to be awkward.
How did Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano reach the final?
Palace had to do this the hard way after finishing 10th in the league phase, but their knockout campaign has given them the look of a side growing into the Europa Conference League at exactly the right time.
Zrinjski Mostar, AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk all fell to Glasner’s side, with Palace beating Shakhtar 5-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
That run has been built on attacking output as much as resilience. Palace have scored 25 goals in the competition this season, including 14 in the knockout rounds, which is why they should not approach this like a tight underdog final.
Rayo avoided the knockout-round play-off after finishing fifth in the league phase, but their path has still carried plenty of tension.
They beat AEK Athens and Strasbourg to reach Leipzig, winning both semi-final legs against the French side 1-0. Alemao scored both goals in that tie and has become their most obvious route to a decisive moment.
Rayo also bring the better recent form. Pérez’s side are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions and won six of those games, including a 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves on the final day of the La Liga season.
Palace have the bigger individual weapons, but Rayo have rhythm. That makes this a proper final rather than a procession.
What are the best picks for Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano?
Crystal Palace to lift the trophy
Palace look the stronger side, but a final is not always the best place to rely on a 90-minute result. Crystal Palace to lift the trophy feels like the cleaner route.
Glasner won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and then guided Palace through last season’s FA Cup final, so he has enough evidence behind him when he tells his players not to overcomplicate the occasion.
Palace do not need a new version of themselves. They need the same front-foot transitions, the same physical security and the same threat from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr.
Rayo will not sit back and wait to be beaten, as they have too much belief for that. Pérez has been clear about wanting his side to show bravery with the ball.
But Palace have more match-winners and more ways to hurt an opponent. If they keep control of the emotional side, they should have enough to get Glasner over the line.
Both teams to score
Both teams to score is the second angle that makes sense.
Palace have carried a serious goal threat throughout this competition, and their attacking structure gives Rayo more than one problem to solve. Sarr’s movement stretches games, Mateta gives them a focal point, and Pino can hurt teams if he finds space between midfield and defence.
Rayo are not passive outsiders, either. They have already shown they can manage big European knockout moments, and Alemao’s semi-final goals against Strasbourg prove they do not need many chances to change a tie.
Glasner has warned about Rayo’s speed in transition and their quality in wide areas, which feels relevant here. Palace should create more, but they may still have to absorb a spell or two where Rayo break into space.
That balance makes BTTS more appealing than chasing a Palace clean sheet.
Ismaila Sarr: 1+ shot on target
Sarr has been Palace’s standout Conference League attacker, and this market gives us a sensible way into his form without needing him to score again.
The Senegal international has scored in each of his last five Conference League appearances and leads the competition scoring charts with nine goals.
Rayo are compact enough to make central attacks difficult, so Palace may need Sarr’s running to pull defenders out of shape. If he starts as expected, one shot on target is a fair player angle.
Where can I watch Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano?
Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano takes place on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
The Conference League final kicks off at 8pm BST at Leipzig Stadium, also known as the Red Bull Arena.
UK viewers can watch the final live on TNT Sports, with streaming available through the broadcaster’s online platform.
USA viewers can follow the game through the usual UEFA Conference League coverage on Paramount+, with live match updates also available through major sports outlets.
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What have the managers said?
Glasner has tried to keep Palace’s build-up as normal as possible, even with the obvious emotion around his final game in charge.
The Austrian has spoken about the value of trusting the work that has already taken Palace this far, rather than changing too much for the final week. That fits with the way his side have played through the knockout rounds.
Palace have attacked this competition with purpose. Glasner knows they can win, but he has also made the point that the players should not treat this as a game for him.
That is easier said than done. The farewell will sit in the background regardless, and Palace will know what it would mean to send him out with a European trophy.
Pérez has framed Rayo’s week in a similar way. The Rayo boss has spoken about the need to control emotion and manage responsibility, which is exactly the challenge for a club playing in this kind of game for the first time.
He has also praised Palace’s power and structure, recognising their attacking threat and the extra motivation around Glasner’s final match.
But Pérez has not taken Rayo to Leipzig to admire the occasion. His side have already handled difficult away nights in this competition, and he will want them to stay close to the version of themselves that won in Strasbourg.
That is the key for Rayo. If they play the badge, the venue and the story, Palace can overpower them. If they play the match, they have a chance.
What is Crystal Palace’s predicted team?
Henderson; Riad, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta, Pino
Adam Wharton is expected to have a strong chance of making the final despite an ankle scare against Arsenal.
Chris Richards and Borna Sosa are bigger doubts, while Cheick Doucoure and Eddie Nketiah are not expected to be involved.
What is Rayo Vallecano’s predicted team?
Batalla; Ratiu, Mendy, Lejeune, Chavarria; Ciss, Valentin; De Frutos, Palazon, Espino; Alemao
Carlos Martin is a doubt after suffering a back problem against Alaves.
Ilias Akhomach and Diego Mendez are also doubtful, while Luiz Felipe is out for the season. Isi Palazon is available despite serving a domestic ban.
Palazon has scored three Conference League goals this season, while Alemao scored both Rayo goals in the semi-final win over Strasbourg.
Rayo’s team should still have enough continuity to make this uncomfortable. The question is whether they can turn organisation and belief into enough threat against a Palace side with more power in the final third.
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