Oliver Glasner led Crystal Palace to FA Cup final success and now has the chance to deliver European glory before leaving his post as manager.The Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday will be Glasner’s final game in charge.Palace are favourites to lift the trophy but need to shake off some end-of-season rust to ensure they are at their best for the big night.They reached the final with authority, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, posting a commanding 3-1 away win before completing the job with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park.But since May 7, Palace have failed to win any of their four Premier League matches. Rayo, meanwhile, arrive with some momentum.They edged past Strasbourg with consecutive 1-0 victories to book their place in the final and have remained unbeaten in La Liga since. Still, the betting market strongly favours Palace.
According to Betfair, Palace are 10/11 favourites to win and 5/6 to do so inside 90 minutes. Rayo, meanwhile, are 3/1 outsiders in the match betting, 11/4 to win in normal time and 7/4 to claim the trophy outright.Palace possess the greater attacking quality and physical edge, but Rayo’s consistency over recent weeks means they arrive with genuine momentum and belief.Jean-Philippe Mateta is seen as the man most likely to grab the headlines. The Palace forward heads the betting on first goal scorer at 7/2 after becoming central to Glasner’s attacking system. Jorgen Strand Larsen is next at 4/1, while Ismaila Sarr sits at 5/1.For Rayo, Jorge de Frutos is their shortest-priced first scorer at 7/1.While bookmakers trust Palace’s attacking quality, the wider markets point towards a tense final rather than an expansive one.Interestingly, a repeat in Leipzig of Glasner’s FA Cup final scoreline — a 1-0 Palace victory over Manchester City last May — is priced at 11/2.And as part of any further emotional backdrop to this game, Adam Wharton is likely playing his final game for Palace before a major summer move. He is 9/1 to score at any time.Boss Glasner is clearly favoured to sign off with another trophy here, even if the game goes beyond 90 minutes.Palace are available at 7/1 in extra time, while a penalty shootout win is priced at 10/1.May 27, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
