Crystal Palace are on the brink of history. On Thursday, they host Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park with a chance to secure their first-ever major European final berth—and they bring a commanding aggregate lead into the tie.
The Eagles soared to a clinical 3–1 victory in the first leg in Poland, with Ismaïla Sarr etching his name into the record books. The Senegalese winger opened the scoring after just 21 seconds, notching the fastest goal in Conference League history and setting the tone for a dominant performance.
Manager Oliver Glasner rotated heavily during the weekend's loss at Bournemouth, ensuring his key stars are fresh for this decisive showdown. The Eagles have made the Conference League their primary focus as the season winds down, and their form at Selhurst Park is a major reason for optimism. They remain unbeaten in their last seven home matches across all competitions and have kept clean sheets in each of their last three European home games. Overall, they've lost only three of their 15 Conference League fixtures this campaign.
On the injury front, Glasner is hopeful that Borna Sosa and Will Hughes can return to the matchday squad. Sosa missed the trip to Bournemouth with a minor knock, while Hughes was sidelined through illness. Evann Guessand could also complete his comeback from a knee problem, adding further firepower. However, Eddie Nketiah is ruled out for the remainder of the season.
For Shakhtar, the task is monumental. The Ukrainian champions need a historic first win on English soil to overturn the two-goal deficit—a feat they've never achieved, with a record of two draws and eight defeats in England. Still, they arrive in London buoyed by a 2–1 win over Dynamo Kyiv on Sunday that puts them on the verge of sealing the domestic title.
The Pitmen have been formidable on the road in this competition, remaining undefeated in five away games and scoring two or more goals in every single one. But they travel with significant defensive shortages. Yukhym Konoplya is out for the rest of the season, and Brazilian defender Marlon remains a major doubt. Manager Arda Turan will lean heavily on Oleh Ocheretko, who scored their only goal in the first leg.
With everything on the line, Selhurst Park is set for a night of high drama. Can Crystal Palace seal their date with destiny, or will Shakhtar finally break their English curse?