- Christantus Uche opens up on Crystal Palace exit
- Eagles prepare for Shakhtar Donetsk
- Interest shown in European goalkeeper
Crystal Palace are preparing for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk. A 3-1 win in Krakow has put the Eagles within touching distance of a first-ever European final.
Christantus Uche will play no part in either game after he was removed from the Conference League squad earlier this year. The Nigerian has now exclusively told Read Crystal Palace why he feels he has lacked game time.
Dean Henderson will be playing the rest of Palace’s European campaign and crucially. But there is intrigue over the club’s reported interest in a shot-stopper.
Uche: ‘Coach Doesn’t Like Me’
Uche will be returning to Getafe at the end of the season when his loan spell concludes. The Nigerian arrived at Selhurst Park last summer but needed to make 10 league starts to trigger an obligation to buy.
The 22-year-old has broken his silence amid a difficult period in which he hasn’t featured for the Eagles. He admits he doesn’t feel Glasner’s support:
“I may not have much playing time, but I am grateful for the fans who continue to support me and the team. Your dedication and enthusiasm mean a lot and I hope to make you proud whenever I do get the chance to play but I know maybe it won’t happen again because the coach doesn’t like me.”
Uche has appeared 22 times across competitions, posting two goals and one assist. His last outing came in a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on March 6th.
Preparing for Shakhtar
Palace are halfway there and can finish the job at Selhurst Park tomorrow night. Last Thursday’s 3-1 victory in Poland was the stuff of dreams, with Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen on the scoresheet.
Glasner will be hoping for a similar performance and result to the 3-0 home win against Fiorentina in the previous round. There’s a good chance Evann Guessand will be available for the game after recovering from a knee injury.
If Palace beat Shakhtar, they face either Strasbourg or Rayo Vallecano in the final on May 27th. The Spanish outfit are currently 1-0 ahead on aggregate.
Livakovic Interest
A slightly surprising report landed on Wednesday regarding Palace’s interest in Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. The Croat has spent the season on loan at Dinamo Zagreb but could be sold this summer.
It’s claimed that the Eagles are willing to pay his salary demands and the Turkish giants’ €5m (£4.3m) asking price. There’s no word on what signing the 31-year-old would mean for Henderson.
The English goalkeeper has been Glasner’s number one throughout his reign. He will have two years left on his contract this summer.
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