Tonight, Leipzig will host the UEFA Conference League final, where English side Crystal Palace will take on Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the decisive match will be played at Leipzig Stadium and will kick off at 11pm Baku time.
For both clubs, simply reaching the final already represents a historic achievement. Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano have never previously won a European trophy and will both be appearing in their first-ever UEFA club competition final. For the Madrid side, it is also the first major senior final in the club’s history.
Until this season, neither team had much European pedigree. Crystal Palace had only previously appeared in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998. Rayo Vallecano’s sole European campaign before now came in the 2000-01 UEFA Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals before losing to Deportivo Alavés.
The two sides have never met before. Their paths also did not cross earlier in this season’s competition, meaning the head-to-head record between them remains blank heading into the final.
Crystal Palace had the longer route to Leipzig. After finishing 10th in the league phase standings, the English club came through the play-off round by defeating HŠK Zrinjski Mostar 3-1 on aggregate. Oliver Glasner’s side then eliminated AEK Larnaca FC 2-1, knocked out ACF Fiorentina 4-2 in the quarter-finals, and beat FC Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2 in the semi-finals.
Rayo Vallecano finished fifth in the league phase and advanced directly to the round of 16. In the knockout rounds, the Spaniards overcame Samsunspor 3-2, then edged past AEK Athens FC 4-3 before defeating RC Strasbourg Alsace 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Crystal Palace head into the final with several fitness concerns. Chris Richards is considered doubtful after suffering ankle ligament damage, while the availability of Adam Wharton will depend on his recovery from the injury sustained against Arsenal FC. However, Maxence Lacroix and Chadi Riad both returned to action in the final Premier League round.
For Rayo Vallecano, the biggest concern remains the condition of Ilias Akhomach, who picked up an injury during the warm-up ahead of the second leg against Strasbourg. In more positive news for head coach Iñigo Pérez, attacking threat Álvaro García has returned to the squad.
Glasner, who will oversee his final match in charge of Crystal Palace, stressed that his team are not simply happy to participate in the final, but are determined to lift the trophy. The Austrian also noted that victory would deliver the club’s first European title and secure qualification for the Europa League.
Perez, meanwhile, insisted that Rayo must control their emotions and stay true to their identity. According to the coach, his side should not become overwhelmed by the scale of the occasion and instead continue playing with the same bravery on the ball that carried them through the tournament.
Emotions have already spilled beyond the pitch. Ahead of the match, clashes erupted in central Leipzig, prompting police intervention. Videos shared on social media appeared to show groups of supporters fighting and throwing chairs, while a number of English fans were detained by German police on suspicion of public order offences.
Now, attention turns fully to the pitch. Crystal Palace could end the Glasner era with the first European trophy in club history, while Rayo Vallecano have the chance to turn the greatest continental campaign the club has ever known into a genuine football fairytale.
