CRYSTAL PALACE 1-0 RAYO VALLECANO: Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second-half rebound was enough for the Eagles to see off their Spanish opponents and win the Conference League
Forget the Freedom of Croydon – Oliver Glasner has now firmly entered statue territory.
As exultant tears flowed from jubilant sons, proud mothers and delirious fathers on a riveting night in east Germany, Crystal Palace tasted limitless joy once more.
It was rather fitting that Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose AC Milan transfer collapsed on deadline day in January due to a knee issue, netted to cap his stunning redemption arc.
Continental football, let alone glory, has long been a pipe dream in the streets surrounding Selhurst Park. Shattering the glass ceiling in Leipzig, the European epicentre of multi-club ownership, made this remarkable triumph all the more sweeter following last summer’s catastrophic UEFA ruling.
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Not even departing boss Glasner, the brains behind the brilliance, could have envisaged what has transpired over the past 12 months. After lifting three trophies and Europa League qualification secure, a generation of supporters are beginning to wonder if they’ll ever wake up.The soaring Eagles are the first side to lift silverware on their maiden European voyage since KV Mechelen won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1988. While Rayo Vallecano were eight matches unbeaten in all competitions, it was a true miracle they even reached the final.
Last August, a referee was unable to review a controversial Barcelona penalty on the VAR monitor at their stadium Vallecas due to a lack of electrical power. Then in early February, players and staff signed a document voicing their concerns to the Spanish Footballers’ Association about the team’s poor facilities including a “deficient” home pitch and cold showers.
The club shop, which incredibly was closed on Tuesday morning, is so small it operates with a one-in-one-out policy. Rayo embody their working-class, left-wing local community and play for their people.
But Palace, whose backline is worth more than the entire Vallecano squad according to Transfermarkt, ultimately proved too much.
Integral centre-back Chris Richards wasn’t fit to start due to an ankle injury but Adam Wharton did beat his race against the clock. Glasner’s medical staff were working hard on both players late on Tuesday night at the team hotel.
The first flashpoint came when Wharton’s clipped ball in behind Rayo saw Pathe Ciss clumsily clatter Yeremy Pino. Referee Maurizio Mariani said yellow, Palace had wanted more.
Another marvellous stroke of Wharton’s left boot led to another opening in first-half stoppage-time when Tyrick Mitchell somehow headed wide.Five minutes after the interval, the England midfield technician – omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad – did craft the opener. His long-range strike was parried by Augusto Batalla and Mateta gratefully steered in the rebound.
It was almost 2-0 when Pino’s free-kick cannoned off both posts before a combination of Mateta and a defender rattled the woodwork again – though the Frenchman was offside.
Rayo turned the screw but resolute Palace dug deep to hold on. Glasner was glad all over, this was the perfect farewell.
He looked like a dead man walking in January following an FA Cup third-round humiliation at National League North side Macclesfield and defeat at Sunderland. But that wasn’t how this box-office movie was supposed to end.Now he leaves on the greatest of highs, providing the next manager – Andoni Iraola is the favourite – with a solid platform to kick on. The problem is, Glasner’s successor faces an impossible task as you are never going to top the stuff of legend.
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