Crystal Palace, Rayo Vallecano Set For Conference League Final [All You Need To Know]

Crystal Palace will face Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday, May 27, in Leipzig, Germany.

The Conference League final comes at the end of a difficult campaign for Palace, who were originally due to compete in the Europa League after winning the FA Cup in the 2024-25 season. UEFA later demoted the club to the Conference League over breaches of multi-club ownership regulations.

Despite their struggles domestically, Oliver Glasner’s side now stands one match away from the first European trophy in the club’s history.

The Palace’s season has been marked by inconsistency. Their attempt to defend the FA Cup ended in humiliation after a 2-1 third-round defeat to non-league Macclesfield. The Eagles also finished 15th in the Premier League on Sunday, May 24.

Rayo Vallecano arrived in Germany after securing an eighth-place finish in La Liga and have quietly emerged as one of the most effective sides in the competition.

The Conference League final will be played at the Red Bull Arena, home of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. The 47,800-capacity stadium will host the kick-off at 8 p.m. WAT.

The venue which was built between 2000 and 2004 on the site of the old Zentralstadion, is now the 15th-largest stadium in Germany. It previously staged matches during the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2024.

Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano’s major stats ahead of the Conference League final

Crystal Palace and Rayo have taken contrasting routes to the final, but the statistics point towards a closely fought run.

Both clubs have won eight matches or ties in the competition and share identical defensive records, with five clean sheets and 12 goals conceded each.

Palace have been the tournament’s most dangerous attacking side. They have scored 25 goals, more than any other team, while also leading the competition for total shots and efforts on target.

Their expected goals tally of 31.3 is also the highest in the tournament, highlighting their ability to consistently create clear opportunities rather than rely on speculative efforts.

Glasner’s side have built their European run on relentless attacking pressure. They have also scored six times from set-pieces, giving them another route to goal when matches become tight.

On the other hand, Rayo Vallecano have scored 22 goals from an expected goals figure of 20.1, only the seventh-highest in the competition. Their efficiency in front of goal has carried them through several difficult ties.

Rayo have also earned two penalties during the tournament, compared to Palace’s one, and remain dangerous whenever chances appear.

While set-pieces have produced only five goals for the La Liga side, they continue to punish defensive mistakes with clinical finishing.

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