Europa Conference League Final Preview - Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano News, Form Guides and Predictions
Europa Conference League Final Preview
England versus Spain, France and Germany. A familiar flavour in international football, and now one that will be repeated at club level across all three UEFA finals. On Wednesday night, Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano will square off in Leipzig with the third-tier title up for grabs.
With Crystal Palace defeating Ukrainian heavyweights Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals to reach the showcase event, and with their opponents toppling controversial BlueCo club Strasbourg, the final crowning affair on Wednesday night looks set to be one to enjoy.
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner is no stranger to European success. Of course, he guided Eintracht Frankfurt to a successful run to the 2022 Europa League title over Scottish side Rangers a few years back, which pre-wrote a CV that has seen him circled around Europe - particularly with Wednesday's final bringing the curtain down on what has been a chaotic, yet hugely successful few years with the club that has seen the Eagles win their first major trophy and first trip to Europe.
They made hard work of their path to the knockouts, finishing just 10th in the League Phase, but Palace have been fantastic when it has counted in Europe's third-tier to line up alongside Arsenal and Aston Villa in a UEFA final, highlighting the strength of the Premier League and reason why their are often awarded the fifth co-efficient spot in the Champions League (lucky Liverpool).
Crystal Palace fans en route to Leipzig this morning for the European Final tomorrow#CPFC pic.twitter.com/QPDcT6Yw7v
— The Away Ends (@_theawayends) May 26, 2026
With Aston Villa winning the Europa League and with Arsenal facing PSG for the UCL on Saturday, we could be facing a circumstance wherein an English club wins all three major European honours in the same season, for the very first time.
Zrinjski Mostar, AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk have all fallen short to the soaring Eagles in the Conference League this term, with Glasner's men leading the way goals-wise with 25 - 14 of them have come in the knockouts.
On the other hand, Palace failed to win any of the four Premier League matches that followed their win over Shakhtar, losing 2-1 to elected champions Arsenal to end their domestic affair in a grim 15th. If they want to make Europe a regular fixture and get there again next term, they'll need to do so by winning a major trophy along the way.
Rayo Vallecano
The Spanish corner of this final did not let their European commitments turn their attention from their domestic hopes this term, but Inigo Perez and his side came short of their aspirations of a top-seven finish, ending up just one point behind Getafe in the race for another shot at the Conference League Playoffs.
Like Palace, as a result, the only way that Vallecano will return to Europe next term is by way of winning the whole tournament to embark on what would be just their second-ever Europa League/UEFA Cup appearance after getting there in 2000.
Unlike the Eagles, Los Franjirrojos did not have to endure the trials of a Conference League knockout round playoff thanks to finishing fifth in the league phase, but their final-16 and quarter-final wins were a lot closer than needs be.
🤯 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗘: Rayo Vallecano played in a Conference League semi-final last night despite the club’s complete lack of modern infrastructure:
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) May 1, 2026
❌ The club has no online ticketing system
❌ The stadium often has no running water in the toilets
❌ The pitch is in very poor… pic.twitter.com/vdwa5Uqvyq
In both clashes, Perez's men won their first leg before tasting defeat in the second to cling through on aggregate, but they found a winning spirit against French side Strasbourg in the semis, earning consecutive 1-0 wins home and away to reach their first-ever continental final.
On top of that, a 3-1 quarter-final second-leg loss to Greek side AEK Athens stands as Vallecano's latest defeat in any competition; the La Liga club head to the Red Bull Arena on a nine-game unbeaten run, winning six of those particular matches.
Vallecanos picked up a 2-1 win on the final day in La Liga, edging out Deportivo Alaves thanks to a 90th-minute winner from Randy Nketa, whetting the appetite well for the biggest night in their 101-year history.
Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecanos Team News
Crystal Palace
Predicted Starting XI: Henderson; Riad, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta, Pino
It finishes in defeat.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 24, 2026
Now we look ahead to a European Final, COYP ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/AtbUkrriBY
Glasner threw popular midfielder Adam Wharton onto the final day clash against Arsenal at half-time, but that plan backfired somewhat. The England international, reeling from his snub by Thomas Tuchel for the Three Lions' World Cup squad, came off with a non-serious ankle injury after just 16 minutes.
He should be fine to play, but the same cannot be said for Chris Richards, Borna Sosa, Cheick Doucoure or Eddie Nketiah for a range of injury issues and non-specified problems.
The latter-most absence shouldn't clip the Eagles' wings too badly - they still have Ismaila Sarr to thank, who has scored in five consecutive Conference League appearances and sits atop the competition's scoring charts with nine goals.
Rayo Vallecano
Predicted Starting XI: Batalla; Ratiu, Mendy, Lejeune, Chavarria; Ciss, Valentin; De Frutos, Palazon, Espino; Alemao
🇪🇸 Rayo Vallecano fans are currently queuing up to buy tickets to watch the stadium screening of their final against Crystal Palace. 🏟️
— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) May 26, 2026
Rayo Vallecano do NOT sell any tickets online. You have to purchase them physically.
Crazy considering they’re now in a European final 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Ft6mrIlaa0
Palace weren't the only side in this final with a final-day blow in their domestic league - Carlos Martin was withdrawn after 38 minutes of Vallecano's final day fight with Deportivo Alaves after a back injury and, unlike Wharton, is a big doubt for Wednesday now.
He will join Ilias Akhomach (leg) and Diego Mendez (unknown) in the doubtful category, whereas Luiz Felipe is out for the season with a busted muscle. Isi Palazon, meanwhile, is available in Europe even amidst a seven-game ban from domestic matches.
Palazeon has three Conference League goals this term, sitting one behind top scorer Alemaro - he netted both winning goals in both the semi-final wins over Strasbourg.
Harry Pascoe 
Ben Wright 