Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano to win UEFA Conference League
Crystal Palace secured the first European trophy in their history as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second-half strike earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final.
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On a historic, emotion-filled night in Leipzig, Oliver Glasner’s side capped an extraordinary continental campaign by lifting the silverware at the Red Bull Arena, cementing their status as a rising force just a year after their famous FA Cup triumph. For Glasner, it provided the perfect fairy-tale farewell. The Austrian manager, who announced his departure ahead of his contract expiry, celebrated by sliding on his stomach between a guard of honor formed by his players before lifting the trophy.
The decisive moment arrived six minutes after the interval. England midfielder Adam Wharton, recovering from an ankle injury sustained against Arsenal to dictate the tempo of the match, unleashed a stinging, swerving drive from distance. Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Augusto Batalla could only parry the ball into the danger zone, allowing the ever-alert Mateta to react quickest and smash the rebound into the back of the net, sparking pandemonium among the travelling thousands from South London.
It was a poignant moment for the French forward, who came close to leaving the club during the January transfer window before a move collapsed. Instead, his close-range finish wrote his name indelibly into Palace folklore.
The victory means Palace have become the third English club to win the Conference League in its five-year history, following West Ham United in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025. It also ensures the Premier League will have a joint-record nine teams in European competitions next season, with Palace automatically earning a spot in the expanded league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League.
It was a triumphant end to a continental journey that began in bittersweet circumstances. Palace had initially qualified for the Europa League via their FA Cup success but were demoted to the Conference League following a dispute over UEFA multi-club ownership rules involving former co-owner John Textor’s shares in Lyon. Palace fans spent the season voicing their frustration at the decision, but their campaign ended in pure celebration.
The first half in Leipzig had been a predictably cagey, tactical affair, with neither side registering a shot on target before the break. Rayo Vallecano, playing in their first-ever major European final and heavily backed by an emotional fan base, carried an early threat. Brazilian forward Alemão skewed a volley wide from Pep Chavarría’s cross, while Unai López drove an effort off-target from the edge of the box after being set up by Álvaro García.
Palace snatched at their best opening of the first period in stoppage time, when the industrious Tyrick Mitchell made an imperfect connection with a diving header from Wharton’s cross, sending the ball wide.
Once Mateta broke the deadlock early in the second half, the game opened up dramatically. Palace were agonizingly close to doubling their advantage when Yéremy Pino struck a brilliant free-kick that beat Batalla, struck the inside of one post, rolled precariously along the goal-line, and clipped the opposite upright before bouncing clear. Moments later, Batalla made a fine save to deny Mateta a second as the striker bore down on goal.
Rayo Vallecano, operating on a fraction of Palace’s budget but matching them for spirit, pushed hard for an equalizer. They dominated 59% of the total possession, but Glasner’s defensive block, marshalled superbly by Maxence Lacroix and Chadi Riad, held firm.
As the Spanish side grew increasingly desperate, a flurry of yellow cards was brandished, with six Rayo players booked in total. Despite the late pressure, Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was rarely tested as his defenders threw themselves in front of everything, enduring over five minutes of stoppage time to secure the clean sheet.
At the final whistle, tears flowed for the Rayo Vallecano players and fans, who had dreamed of a historic upset to mirror the achievements of their Madrid neighbors Real and Atlético. But the night belonged to Crystal Palace. From a qualification appeal in August to a trophy presentation in May, the Eagles have conquered Europe, and their continental tour is set to continue.
