Back of the Nest

The "European hangover" was palpable at Selhurst Park as a weary Palace side twice came from behind to rescue a point against Everton. Just days after securing their place in a historic European final, Oliver Glasner's men looked second-best for large periods, particularly struggling with set-pieces once again. We're grading the squad on their powers of recovery on a day where individual brilliance from the usual suspects saved them from a domestic slip-up.

History has been made at a rocking Selhurst Park! For the first time in their 120-year history, Crystal Palace are heading to a major European final. While the aggregate score reads a comfortable 5-2, the second leg was a night of high tension and "goosebump" moments under the South London lights. Oliver Glasner’s 50th win as manager proved to be his most significant, as the Eagles navigated a spirited Shakhtar fightback to book their flight to Leipzig.

The European hangover hit hard at the Vitality Stadium as a weary Palace side fell to a 3-0 defeat against a high-flying Bournemouth. With one eye on the upcoming semi-final second leg, Oliver Glasner's heavily rotated squad struggled to find their rhythm against an Iraola side that has now stretched their unbeaten run to a record 15 matches. We're grading a difficult afternoon where individual errors and physical fatigue combined to halt the Eagles' recent momentum.

The European hangover hit hard at the Vitality Stadium as a weary Palace side fell to a 3-0 defeat against a high-flying Bournemouth. With one eye on the upcoming semi-final second leg, Oliver Glasner's heavily rotated squad struggled to find their rhythm against an Iraola side that has now stretched their unbeaten run to a record 15 matches. We're grading a difficult afternoon where individual errors and physical fatigue combined to halt the Eagles' recent momentum.

Palace head to the Vitality Stadium this Sunday for a clash of two sides with very different end-of-season motivations. While the Eagles are still riding the wave of their historic 3-1 midweek victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Conference League, they return to domestic action looking to bounce back from a tough afternoon at Anfield. Facing a Bournemouth side on a record-breaking 14-match unbeaten run, Oliver Glasner's men must balance their Premier League pride with the need to stay fresh for the second leg at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles took a massive step toward their first-ever European final with a clinical 3-1 victory in Krakow. After the disappointment at Anfield, Oliver Glasner's side rediscovered their knockout-stage steel, silencing the "home" crowd with a goal inside the first minute. Despite a brief second-half wobble, Palace showed the tactical maturity of a seasoned European outfit to secure a commanding two-goal cushion for the return leg at Selhurst.

The Eagles took a massive step toward their first-ever European final with a clinical 3-1 victory in Krakow. After the disappointment at Anfield, Oliver Glasner's side rediscovered their knockout-stage steel, silencing the "home" crowd with a goal inside the first minute. Despite a brief second-half wobble, Palace showed the tactical maturity of a seasoned European outfit to secure a commanding two-goal cushion for the return leg at Selhurst.

The Eagles' historic European odyssey reaches its penultimate chapter as they travel to Krakow, Poland, to face Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League Semi-Final. While the heavy defeat at Anfield was a sobering reminder of the squad's current physical strain, Oliver Glasner's men have proven to be a different beast in knockout football. They face a Shakhtar side boasting deep European pedigree and an Arda Turan-led squad that has been formidable in their temporary Polish home.