Conference League: Palace Reach Last 16 as Glasner Acknowledges Media Storm
Crystal Palace beat Zrinjski Mostar 2-0 at Selhurst Park to seal a 3-1 aggregate victory and advance to the Conference League last 16, a result that comes amid managerial controversy and a season of off-field upheaval. The draw for Palace's next opponent is scheduled for Friday at 13: 00 GMT, placing the club's European fate squarely back in the spotlight.
Selhurst Park: Lacroix and Guessand settle the tie
Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand struck at Selhurst Park to complete the second-leg win that followed a 1-1 first-leg draw in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The late Guessand goal proved decisive after Zrinjski had threatened to level the tie, and the 2-0 victory made the aggregate score 3-1 in Palace's favour. Captain Dean Henderson quipped that he did not "know what all the fuss was about" shortly after the match.
Oliver Glasner admits sparking a media storm
Manager Oliver Glasner has become a central figure in the club's turbulence this season. He announced in January he planned to leave at the end of the campaign, later telling the club's board they had "abandoned" the squad. Glasner said he has been open about his feelings, conceded that some interviews may have been unhelpful, and affirmed he had been given "100%" assurance of his job. He described the volume of criticism as "so much noise" and acknowledged that expressing himself had exposed him to a backlash he characterised as a "shitstorm. "
Player exits and recent silverware shape the backdrop
The current chaos follows a year of major changes. In May Palace won their first major trophy, beating Manchester City to lift the FA Cup, then added the Community Shield three months later after a penalty shootout win over Liverpool. Since then several key players departed: winger Eberechi Eze moved to Arsenal; Marc Guehi nearly joined Liverpool before moving to Manchester City five months later; and top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta was on the verge of joining AC Milan but failed a medical. Those departures have been part of a wider sense of instability even as the squad continues to produce results on the pitch.
Conference League last-16 draw at 13: 00 GMT on Friday
The club will discover its last-16 opponent at the Friday draw set for 13: 00 GMT. Palace will face either Larnaca, the Cypriot side they lost to during the group stages, or Mainz from Germany. The timing matters because a favourable draw could ease Palace's path in their debut European campaign after demotion from the Europa League following their FA Cup triumph last season.
Supporter unrest and matchday atmosphere
Off the field, relations with parts of the fanbase remain strained. Fans displayed a banner before Palace's 1-0 win over Wolves declaring Glasner "finished, " and a supporters' group asked the club to turn off pre-match music so they could "back the team during the pre-match warm-up. " The club refused the request on the grounds that UEFA regulations would not allow it. Still, a large group of travelling supporters who took up position two hours before kick-off helped generate a decent atmosphere despite a significant number of empty seats in the home sections. During the first half the Holmesdale Fanatics displayed a message reading "40 quid? Palace fans fleeced = empty seats. "
European picture: other ties and last-16 permutations
Palace's progression comes as several other European ties were resolved. Williot Swedberg scored the only goal as Celta Vigo beat PAOK to win 3-1 on aggregate, setting up a last-16 tie against either Aston Villa or Lyon. Lille overturned a first-leg deficit to win 2-0 at Red Star Belgrade thanks to Olivier Giroud and Nathan Ngoy in extra time. Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to win 2-0 and eliminate Ludogorets Razgrad. First-half goals from Gabi Kanichowsky and Kristoffer Zachariassen put the Hungarian side into the next round, where they will face Porto or Braga; one of those will also face Stuttgart despite Stuttgart losing 1-0 at home to Celtic. Luke McCowan's strike after 28 seconds was the Europa League's fastest in 10 years, though the hosts still prevailed 4-2 on aggregate in that tie.
Panathinaikos progressed by beating Viktoria Plzen 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 second-leg draw made the tie 3-3 on aggregate; Javi Hernández was sent off in that match. Andreas Tetteh put the visitors ahead early before Karel Spacil levelled for Plzen, and Milos Pantovic converted the decisive spot-kick; Panathinaikos will face either Midtjylland or Real Betis in the last 16. Nottingham Forest, having beaten Fenerbahce on aggregate, are also potential opponents for Midtjylland or Betis. Bologna beat 10-man Brann 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate to set up a last-16 tie that is unclear in the provided context.
What makes this notable is how Palace's on-pitch progress in Europe has continued despite a season marked by high-profile departures, managerial friction and visible fan protests — a contrast that will be tested further once Friday's draw reveals their next opponent.
