Palace Lead 3-0 Before Fiorentina Conference League Leg

Crystal Palace head to Florence on Thursday evening with a commanding 3-0 lead in their UEFA Conference League quarterfinal tie against Fiorentina, positioning the English club on the brink of their first European semifinal. The second leg kicks off at 8 p.m. UK time at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, where the Italian side will need a historic comeback to advance.

Palace secured their advantage in the first leg last week at Selhurst Park, with goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Tyrick Mitchell, and Ismaila Sarr sealing a dominant victory. Manager Oliver Glasner, who guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022, emphasized the need for focus despite the cushion. "This tie is far from done," Glasner told reporters, urging his players to maintain professionalism amid their strong recent form. The Eagles have lost just once in their last 10 matches across all competitions and extended their unbeaten run to six games with a 2-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United on Sunday. Mateta scored both goals in that comeback, netting twice after Palace trailed at halftime, virtually ensuring their top-flight survival with 12th place and 42 points from 31 matches.