'Don't know what the fuss was about' - chaotic Palace season could end in glory

Key players have gone, the manager is leaving and has criticised the club and upset fans - yet Crystal Palace's chaotic campaign could still end in European glory.

It has been a wild 12 months for the Eagles, who have found themselves in the headlines on an almost daily basis.

"I don't know what all the fuss was about," joked captain Dean Henderson shortly after they gained a 2-0 win over Bosnian side Zrinjski to seal a 3-1 aggregate victory and reach the last 16 of the Conference League.

It has been an emotional rollercoaster for Palace supporters.

In May they won their first major trophy, beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup, then added another three months later with a penalty shootout win over Liverpool to clinch the Community Shield.

But winger Eberechi Eze left for Arsenal, skipper Marc Guehi nearly joined Liverpool, then moved to Manchester City five months later and top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta was on the verge of signing for AC Milan, only to fail a medical.

Oliver Glasner, the most successful manager in the club's history, then announced in January he was leaving at the end of the season, before telling the club's board they had "abandoned" the squad.

That appeared to be the end of his tenure, but he has stayed, though fans held up a banner on Sunday before the 1-0 win over Wolves saying he was "finished".

Asked if he had assurance of his job from his bosses, Glasner said "100%", adding: "There's so much noise, sometimes you really don't understand it. Maybe I gave some interviews that were not helpful and I have to admit that, but I'm always telling what I'm feeling, it's how I am.

"We're in a very good position in the league and the Conference League and it is up to us to make a really great season of it."

Palace are 13th in the Premier League, but 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only three away from eighth, which could be a position high enough to secure a European return next season.

For Glasner, he says the way the players are still performing for him is evidence that his job is secure.

"If the players believe in me and the staff, that's the most important thing, otherwise, you can pack your suitcase and go home because the players have to perform on the pitch," added the Austrian.

"We have a great togetherness in the group - players, staff, really positive. The same with the sporting director and the chairman. They are sometimes wondering, 'Hey, this is the second-best Premier League season ever'.

"The best was last year. So maybe the best two years in Crystal Palace's history, playing European football for the first time."

The Conference League, Europe's third-tier competition, is only in its fifth season, with two English sides - West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025 - among its first four winners.

From the start of this season's edition Palace have been the bookmakers' favourites, even though they only finished 10th in the league phase and had to go through two matches against Bosnian champions Zrinjski to get into the last 16.

But there are not many clubs in the competition Palace will fear.

They will find out on Friday whether they play German side Mainz, a team 13th in the Bundesliga, or Cypriot side Larnaca, who only scored seven goals in six league phase matches, though they did beat Palace 1-0 in October.

"We're hungry for more [silverware] but you don't talk about winning it three months out," added goalkeeper Henderson, who became Palace captain after Guehi left the club.

"It's knockout football and we go into it with confidence. You see the supporters get into the stadium early and Selhurst was rocking tonight and we can make it a fortress."

Former Palace defender James Tomkins, speaking on TNT Sports, said: "They go through to the next stage, into the last 16 of this competition and they are favourites to go on and win it from here.

"They've got to concentrate on the Conference League. The opportunity they've got is incredible. To add a third trophy in two seasons would be remarkable and beyond the wildest dreams of the fans.

"They needed a second goal to get over the line and it's a great night for the club. The atmosphere is amazing and you can see all the fans are behind the team and the manager and it means a lot."

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