- Guessand has chance to make history
- Anthony came close last year
- Villa and Palace must win
Evann Guessand has the chance to become the first player ever to win two European Trophies in one season. The Crystal Palace forward and Aston Villa loanee will collect two winners’ medals if both Aston Villa and Crystal Palace win their respective finals later this month.
The Ivorian forward has the chance to become the first ever footballer to win two European trophies in a single season, as both his parent club and current employer prepare for their respective finals.
Villa will face German side FC Freiburg in the Europa League final, whilst Palace travel to Leipzig to face Rayo Vellacano in the final of the Conference League.
READ: Latest Crystal Palace news and updates
FOLLOW: Read Crystal Palace on Facebook, Instagram and X
A double European winner?
Guessand signed for Villa last Summer in a deal worth around £26m from OGC Nice. Palace had battled the Villains for Guessand’s signature but were unable to compete with the contract offer on the table from Unai Emery’s side.
He played seven Europa League games for Villa during the league phase, scoring against both Go Ahead Eagles and FC Basel.
In January, Guessand pushed for a loan move to South London, and secured the move just before the deadline closed.
Whilst his time at Palace has recently been marred by injury, he has played five times for Palace in their knockout games of the Conference League.
He scored one goal against Zrinjski Mostar, and has played an important role in Palace’s progression to the final.
Should both Palace and Villa win their respective finals, Guessand will become the first ever player to win two European trophies in a single season.
It would be a truly historic achievement in European football, and will act as a small point of interest underlying what would be two magnificent days for both clubs.
A footballing first
Real Betis’ Brazilian winger Anthony came close to becoming football’s first double European winner last season.
Both Manchester United and Real Betis reached the finals of the Europa League and Conference League respectively, however both sides lost.
United were of course beaten by Tottenham Hotspur, courtesy of a Brennan Johnson goal.
Betis lost 4-1 in the final of the Conference League against Chelsea, despite the Spanish side taking the lead in just the 9th minute.
Those defeats mean that to this day no player has ever won two European trophies in a single season, meaning that Guessand has a chance to write his name into the history books if all goes to plan for both Palace and Villa.
Both English sides are favourites to lift the trophies, with Villa’s final in Istanbul being played a week before Palace’s in Leipzig.
