Tips Feed

Crystal Palace were beaten 2-1 on the final day of the Premier League season by Arsenal, meaning they have failed to win any of their last four matches leading up to this Conference League final. However, it is worth noting that Glasner has been prioritising the Conference League, and he opted for significant rotation last weekend. 

Palace were dominant against Shakhtar in the previous round of the competition, as they won 5-2 on aggregate. The Eagles also forced seven saves from the opposition goalkeeper across the two legs, which shows how they were easily able to carve through their opponents and forge out chances. 

Vallecano are a tougher matchup here, but Palace will fancy their chances of picking out gaps in the final third, and they come into this match as favourites. They have landed this selection in ten of their last 12 matches across all competitions. 

The Eagles cannot afford to underestimate Rayo Vallecano, though, who are worthy finalists. They are on an eight-game unbeaten run across all competitions, having beaten Villarreal on the final day to clinch eighth spot in La Liga. Vallecano have been a tough side to beat this season, and they have shown a consistent tendency to be able to grind out results.

Vallecano beat Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals, with back-to-back 1-0 victories. There were 14 cards shown across those two legs in what was an extremely feisty affair, and that level of intensity is likely to be replicated here with this being a European Cup final. 

There have been at least five bookings shown in each of the last four Conference League finals, with card counts of five, six, six, and five across those occasions - once again, it is a market to target.

Alemao Zurawski played a key role up front for Vallecano in the previous round, accounting for both of his side’s goals against Strasbourg. He managed two shots in the first leg, with one hitting the target, before really coming to life in the second leg, where he racked up four shots with two on target.

Vallecano were effective on the break, and Alemao was allowed to thrive. The striker is averaging an impressive 3.71 shots per 90 in the Conference League this season, and he has scored four goals in the competition.

Alemao has hit a rich vein of form at the perfect time for Vallecano, with five goals in his last seven appearances across all competitions. Palace have shipped nine goals in their last four league matches, so Alemao should be looking forward to this matchup, and he will be hopeful of extending his scoring streak.

Ismaila Sarr was a surprise starter against Arsenal at the weekend, but he was replaced after just 45 minutes, with Glasner clearly prioritising this Conference League final over a deadwood fixture.

Sarr was fouled once in that game, taking his average this season to 1.7 fouls drawn per 90 across all competitions, and that figure rises to 1.89 when playing in the Conference League. Sarr has landed this selection in ten of his 13 starts in the competition this season, which shows how much of the ball he tends to see.

Sarr is one of the best ball carriers in the Palace squad, and he often drops deeper to receive before driving upfield. Vallecano are an excellent matchup to target the Senegalese international here, as they rank third in the Spanish top flight for total yellow cards accumulated this season.

The Spanish side are also averaging 14.1 fouls per game in the Conference League. 

Unai Lopez has been a notable contributor to Vallecano's poor disciplinary record this season, as he is averaging 1.66 fouls per 90 in the Conference League.

The 30-year-old has recorded multiple infringements in each of his last five appearances in Europe, picking up a booking in both the semi-final second leg and the quarter-final second leg. In the high-pressure fixtures, Unai Lopez tends to be carded. 

Unai Lopez is incredibly aggressive in the heart of midfield, and he is no stranger to the referee's notebook. The midfielder has picked up eight yellow cards and one red this season, following ten bookings last campaign, which included nine yellows and a red.

He is likely to have a tough task trying to contain the Palace forward line on Wednesday night, so this price is one that appeals. 

Florian Lejeune has also been heavily involved when it comes to duels in the Conference League this season - he is averaging 1.65 fouls per 90 in the competition and has recorded at least one infringement in each of his last 12 matches on the European stage. 

However, the focus here is on his contributions in the final third, where his numbers are quite remarkable. Lejeune is averaging 1.6 shots per 90 across all competitions this season, rising even further to 2.23 when playing in the Conference League.

Those numbers are unheard of for a central defender across the course of an entire season. He racked up nine shots over the two legs against Strasbourg in the previous round, of which four hit the target. Lejeune is the primary set-piece taker for Vallecano, and he often tries his luck from distance.

In addition to his playmaking ability, Sarr has been the most consistent attacking option in the Palace squad this season. He has scored 21 goals in his 42 appearances across all competitions, saving his best performances for the European stage.

Sarr has scored in each of his last five starts in the Conference League, and has landed this selection in seven of his 13 appearances overall in the competition. If not for his contributions, Palace almost certainly would not have made it to the final. 

Sarr has been the main man for Palace in the final third throughout this European run, and Glasner will be hoping he can extend his scoring form for one more game. Sarr has landed this selection in seven of his last nine starts, so he has every reason to approach this match with confidence.