- Crystal Palace reach Conference League final
- Nathaniel Clyne makes history
- Farewell to Clyne and Glasner
Crystal Palace and Nathaniel Clyne made history after reaching the UEFA Conference League final. Their 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-final 2nd leg took the Eagles to their first ever European final.
Oliver Glasner led his side to a comfortable 5-2 aggregate victory, booking a place in Leipzig. The South London side won 2-1 on the night courtesy of Ismiala Sarr’s winner after Pedrinho’s own goal. This game marked Glasner’s 50th win of his Palace reign.
As this marks the manager’s final season, he has mapped out a potential farewell to one of the most successful eras in the club’s history. On the other hand, the night was also a special one for Clyne.
Clyne’s 250th Appearance
Neither Palace nor Clyne will forget the night against the Ukrainian side, as the occasion marked Clyne’s 250th appearance for the club.
Palace’s memorable night got even better when Clyne climbed into the club’s top 10 appearance-makers, according to Transfermarkt. Though he only had a cameo in the game, the Englishman got to appear on the European stage while reaching a remarkable milestone.
The Englishman sits 10th in the all-time appearances list, one behind Simon Rodger. After spending his early days at Afewee Academy, he made his senior debut in 2008.
Clyne was with the club until 2012, and wore the colours of Southampton and Liverpool, before a loan spell at Bournemouth. Later, he returned to his boyhood club in 2020.
Now, the 35-year-old is part of the club’s greatest period in its history. He has won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, and aims to add an elusive European trophy to the list.
Clyne and Glasner Bidding Farewell
Clyne enters his last few weeks at the club as his contract ends in the summer of 2026. He has been a reliable player under Glasner and helped the side win the FA Cup.
His second spell still has one final chapter waiting to be written, the Conference League final. The side travels to Germany to face Rayo Vallecano on May 27th.
The game could mark the end of an era at the club, with both the manager and Clyne potentially saying goodbye. The Eagles enter the final as slight favourites, but the game won’t be easy, as Inigo Perez’s side is a tricky opposition.
