Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace arrive having enjoyed a quiet end to the Premier League season. The side managed by Oliver Glasner ticked the domestic boxes whilst progressing through the Conference League, securing their top-flight status several matchdays early. This has allowed the Austrian manager to focus on the European knockout stages to reach his first continental final.

Furthermore, in the final Premier League fixtures, he has been able to manage the players who have carried the heaviest workload. It is true that the results have not been the best, but this has been in a context entirely dominated by this match. It is the fixture they have been waiting for a long time, and they will be looking to cap off a magical year after winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield in 2025.

Crystal Palace players injured for the Conference League final

Richards

Crystal Palace players suspended for the Conference League final

Crystal Palace have no suspended players for this match

Crystal Palace’s latest results

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
• Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton
• Manchester City 3-0 Crystal Palace
• Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace
• Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal

Rayo Vallecano

Rayo Vallecano have finished the season in the EA Sports La Liga in brilliant fashion. The Madrid side did not rest on their laurels after securing their top-flight status and fought for a Conference League spot right until the final matchday. In fact, they fell just one point short of qualifying for Europe’s third-tier competition once again. Not even the Conference League play-offs have affected them.

It is true that on Saturday’s final matchday against Alavés in Vitoria, Iñigo Pérez rotated his squad, but the team’s performance did not suffer and they picked up three points to round off the season. And now, they are fully focused on the match that could lead Vallecas, a working-class neighbourhood of Madrid, to continental glory. The Rayo Vallecano manager will go all out, holding nothing back in the hunt for the title.

Rayo Vallecano players injured for the Conference League final

Carlos Martín, Diego Méndez, Luiz Felipe and Ilias Akhomach

Rayo Vallecano players suspended for the Conference League final

Rayo Vallecano have no suspended players for this match

Rayo Vallecano’s latest results

• Strasbourg 0-1 Rayo Vallecano
• Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Girona
• Valencia 1-1 Rayo Vallecano
• Rayo Vallecano 2-0 Villarreal
• Alavés 1-2 Rayo Vallecano

Crystal Palace - Rayo Vallecano: statistics

Crystal Palace have not won in their last six Premier League matches, recording three draws and three defeats. Furthermore, in their last ten competitive matches, they have only managed to keep a clean sheet on one occasion. Rayo Vallecano, by contrast, are on a run of nine competitive matches without defeat. Iñigo Pérez’s side finished the EA Sports La Liga season on a strong run of four wins and three draws in their last seven matches.

Crystal Palace - Rayo Vallecano: predictions

Given the statistics from recent results, it seems Rayo Vallecano are in better form heading into the final. However, Crystal Palace have shown themselves to be far superior to their opponents in the Conference League knockout stages. In the Premier League, they have let themselves go, having nothing at stake and focusing all their efforts on the continental tournament. In terms of potential, the English side are superior, although to bring the Conference League back to London they will need to be at their very best. Everything suggests that the Conference League will be decided by the smallest of margins.