It is an exciting period for supporters of Crystal Palace. A year ago, the south London team was still in pursuit of their first major trophy, and even the most hopeful fans could not have envisioned them reaching the semi-finals of a European tournament.
Although there were some tense moments when Fiorentina, fueled by determination, reduced the deficit from the first leg’s 3-0 loss at Selhurst Park to just two goals with thirty minutes remaining, Oliver Glasner’s squad demonstrated their maturity and resilience, advancing to a semi-final clash against Shakhtar Donetsk. Palace faced significant challenges, particularly after Ismaïla Sarr’s early header, and despite injuries to Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix before halftime, they maintained their composure against a team that had previously been runners-up in the competition.
Having led Palace to victories in the FA Cup and Community Shield, Glasner now has the chance to conclude his tenure with another trophy, following the contentious announcement of his departure in January.
“I believe about 90% of our players have never experienced European football before, and every match, every opportunity, contributes to our individual and collective growth,” he stated, adding that the team was allowed an evening out in Florence to celebrate their achievement.
Palace fans took full advantage of the beautiful spring weather in Florence leading up to the match, with many traveling without tickets just to soak in the atmosphere of their first away European quarter-final. John Salako, a former England winger who played for Palace in the 1991 season when they narrowly missed out on European qualification, was seen enjoying the festivities in the piazza del Duomo.
With one stand closed for a £160 million renovation aimed at expanding its capacity to over 40,000 by 2029, the 1,400 fans who secured tickets were gathered in a corner of the stunning open-air venue. Their presence was unmistakable when the teams took the field, waving large red and blue flags and igniting red flares as part of an organized display by the influential Holmesdale Fanatics fan group.
Daniel Muñoz had a chance to ease Palace’s nerves within the first two minutes, but the Colombian’s shot went astray. Fiorentina’s hopes of mounting a significant comeback were dashed in the 17th minute when Sarr converted a header from Muñoz’s cross.
The hosts received a chance to respond when Jaydee Canvot was penalized for a foul on Rolando Mandragora, a decision that appeared questionable from the Spanish referee. To further complicate matters for Palace, Wharton left the field with a groin injury just before Albert Gudmundsson successfully converted the penalty. Glasner later indicated that Wharton might have suffered an adductor injury, similar to the one that had previously sidelined him from England’s squad.
Palace faced another significant blow just before halftime when Lacroix was injured in a collision with Muñoz and could not continue due to a knee issue. Sensing an opportunity, Fiorentina pressed forward, but Dean Henderson skillfully denied a powerful shot from Tottenham loanee Manor Solomon right before the break, preserving Palace’s three-goal lead. During halftime, Glasner opted to bring on striker Jørgen Strand Larsen, who replaced Jean-Philippe Mateta at the start of the second half. David de Gea made a commendable save against a curving shot from Daichi Kamada, but Henderson was powerless to stop Cher Ndour’s long-range strike, which closed the gap for Fiorentina. Suddenly, Palace’s makeshift defense appeared vulnerable with every Fiorentina attack.
The impressive Gudmundsson forced another save from Henderson as Fiorentina intensified their assault, and the referee dismissed claims for another penalty as tensions rose on the field.
Chadi Riad became a target for beverages from the stands after exaggerating a minor push from Ndour, but Palace managed to effectively slow the pace of the game. With nine minutes remaining, when Roberto Piccoli’s header sailed over Henderson’s crossbar, the visiting supporters felt at ease enough to unveil a new chant about reaching next month’s final in Leipzig. Given Glasner’s track record of securing trophies, they appear a formidable force to stop.
