- Crystal Palace reach UEFA Conference League final
- Dean Henderson makes pointed comment
- Reflects on ‘difficult season’
Dean Henderson made sure to remind the European footballing world that Crystal Palace shouldn’t even be in the UEFA Conference League after reaching the final. The Eagles booked their ticket to Leipzig on Thursday night.
Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 through a Pedrinho own goal and Ismaila Sarr’s ninth goal of the tournament. Eguinaldo had equalised for the visitors but it proved a mere consolation.
Oliver Glasner’s side will face Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on May 27th. A win over the Spaniards means the South London outfit play in next season’s Europa League.
Henderson Reacts to Final
Palace were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League ahead of the season due to multi-club ownership rules. UEFA ruled that former director John Textor’s links to Lyon didn’t comply with the European body’s regulations.
The club appealed the decision but it was upheld despite Textor leaving his role. Glasner’s men have made the most of the opportunity and progressed through the Conference League and to the final.
Henderson, who performed well on the night, told TNT Sports:
“We want to get back into the Europa League where we deserve to be.”
The Palace captain wasn’t the only one who highlighted the unfair ruling, as fans could be heard chanting against UEFA throughout the game. One of the biggest cheers of the night came when the stadium announcer revealed that Nottingham Forest had suffered a 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis played a big role in the Eagles’ demotion to the Conference League. His complaints ultimately led to the Tricky Trees taking the club’s spot in the Europa League and they made it to the semi-finals before losing to Villa 4-1 on aggregate last night.
“Made This Team Believe”
Henderson started the interview by explaining how much work has gone into Palace’s rise during Glasner’s reign. He acknowledged the Austrian’s impact and how he achieved a winning mentality:
“It’s incredible. You see the connections between the players and the supporters. The manager came in and made this team believe we can win any game. It’s been a difficult season with how many games we’ve played, but we’ve delivered another final, which is fantastic.”
Henderson wasn’t wrong when calling it a “difficult season.” Back in the winter, there were even question marks over Glasner’s future at the club.
The Austrian announced in January that he’d decided to leave when his contract expires in June. But a gloomy period subsided and the Eagles thrived heading into the knockout stages of the Conference League.
