Crystal Palace savour 'pure joy' of Europa Conference League victory

A second-half goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta gave Palace a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano, securing their first European trophy.

Last season's FA Cup triumph had earned Palace a spot in the Europa League, but UEFA withdrew their place in the competition because of regulations concerning multi-club ownership.

"I told the players to now get what they deserve after winning the FA Cup, the Europa League," Glasner told reporters.

"It is a one-year delay, but now the club, the fans and the players receive what they deserve.

"Sometimes you need to take a detour, and now we have arrived."

Glasner had announced in January that he would depart the club at the end of the season. When he joined, Palace had never won a major trophy, but he departs having claimed the FA Cup, the Community Shield and now a European trophy.

"We often hear the fans thank us for giving them the greatest day of their lives and all these emotions. I also thanked the players, because it is the same for me," said Glasner.

"They have given me great, incredible days in my life, and I truly appreciate that."

Glasner described his tenure at Palace as "a good chapter to read in the Crystal Palace book, but further chapters will come."

Defender Tyrick Mitchell said the Conference League triumph felt like "pure delight" following his ten years at the south London club.

"It is amazing, it is the same feeling we experienced when we won the FA Cup," Mitchell told TNT Sports.

"It is pure delight, pure emotion, and we are simply happy that we managed to get over the line."

The victory brought an end to Oliver Glasner's remarkable spell as head coach.

The Austrian had announced in January that he would depart in the summer, and this was his final match in charge.

Before Glasner's arrival in 2024, Palace had never won a major trophy. Now they have added the Conference League crown to last year's FA Cup and the season-opening Community Shield.

Mitchell squandered a golden chance to give Palace the lead just before half-time, but he played a huge part in the team's ability to cope with the physical demands of European football throughout the season.

"It definitely is the hardest season we have played. We play 60 games a season," he said.

"Many of our bodies are not accustomed to it. There were times when we were not winning. We lost a few games in this competition."

Adam Wharton, whose shot rebounded to Mateta for the goal, found it difficult to articulate what the victory meant for the team and their fans.

"You cannot put the feeling into words. It is incredible, south London, the fans. It is unbelievable," Wharton told TNT Sports.

"The start of the match was a bit cautious, as you would expect in a final, but we grew into the game and found the spaces."

Wharton missed last season's FA Cup final celebrations, but he said he had "two celebrations to make up for."