Oliver Glasner interview: the Crystal Palace coach on Conference League hopes and Marc Guéhi's leadership
Monday, December 8, 2025
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"Every game will help us to be better and better in this competition," says Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner as he sits down with UEFA.
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A UEFA Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt and the architect of Crystal Palace's first major trophy, Oliver Glasner is aiming high once more as the Eagles navigate their first major European campaign.
Glasner took up his Palace post in February 2024 after calling time on a two-year stay at Frankfurt the previous summer. By then, the 51-year-old had built a reputation for delivering success, guiding Frankfurt to a first European trophy in 42 years as they claimed the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League title.
Expectations were high as he arrived in south London, but Glasner rose to the challenge by leading the Eagles to their first major trophy this spring, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final to tee up their maiden tilt at a major European competition.
The Austrian coach recently sat down with UEFA to relive those triumphs, discuss the lessons from Palace's UEFA Conference League campaign so far and praise the quiet leadership of captain Marc Guéhi.
"Great memories, great times and such an exciting final, winning it on the last penalty," Glasner says of the 2022 Europa League victory, sealed after a shoot-out against Rangers. "They scored [to seemingly make it] 2-1 in extra time with a penalty, and it was disallowed because one of their players ran in too early, and then we won the Europa League unbeaten.
"[We had] a great group of players, a great group of staff and such a great togetherness. It was so emotional and it was a time, a journey, I will never forget."
For Glasner, the 2025 FA Cup showpiece triumph has also been filed under 'unforgettable feelings'. "I'm really pleased that I could experience this a second time – to achieve something that nobody expected, making so many people happy," he says.
"We have Crystal Palace supporters for 60 years who never [saw us] win anything. We were close to it in an FA Cup final [in 2016], a few minutes away, but we didn't do it, we couldn't make it.
"Now, our dream came true. Ultimately, it's not about the money – it's about these emotions, and I see it now when we're talking about it. When we're talking about the FA Cup final, everybody starts to smile: the players, the staff and the fans. So, this stays forever.
"It's the same when you get married or when your children [are born]. These moments stay forever. You will always remember it."
The Eagles are enjoying their debut in a major European competition as a result. Though they undoubtedly have high hopes, Glasner is reluctant to look too far ahead, instead urging his team to heed the lessons of a mixed start to the league phase, with two wins and two defeats so far.
"Many [are] playing for the first time against teams from continental Europe. And we could see it: they're tough games," he explains. "We could see against AEK Larnaca that you can be very [dominant] but can lose a game [1-0]. In a group stage of six games, it maybe doesn't matter in terms of qualifying for the next round, but when you enter the knockout stage, it's important to be efficient in these games.
"On the other side, we could see against Dynamo Kyiv [a 2-0 away win] – and especially against AZ Alkmaar [a 3-1 home win] – that we can win every single game, so [we're getting a lot of] feedback right now and all this feedback from every game will help us to be better and better in this competition."
As well as Glasner, the Palace players will look to the leadership of captain Marc Guéhi as they navigate the challenges of continental football. That fact is pleasing to Glasner, who is quick to heap praise on the England international.
"I would say he's a little bit more of the silent leader," notes Glasner. "He's not the one who's talking all the time, but he knows when and to whom he has to talk, and he is the same with me.
"That's great for a manager, to have a captain I trust 100%, and I would leave him to [make] decisions because I know he always wants the best for the team and he also has the right ideas, the right thoughts to help the team."
It is not just Guéhi's leadership that impresses Glasner, the Palace coach highlighting his outstanding contribution to a defence that kept 11 Premier League clean sheets last season.
"He's so good. Marc is so good. I've managed many players, but his understanding of the game is exceptional. His anticipation and reading of situations is incredible."
At the other end of the pitch, Jean-Philippe Mateta has been a defining figure throughout Glasner's reign. The French striker weighed in with 14 league goals last season and helped solidify his status as a fan favourite with his jovial off-field demeanour and now beloved celebration – a corner-flag kick accompanied by an exclamation of "Boom!" from the stands.
"He's important for us in the hold-up play to get into the final third and then we ask him to always make runs in behind and stay in the areas where you can score goals," Glasner says.
"He's an amazing finisher, with left foot and right and also with the head. We don't want to have him out on the left or right, because there he never scores, so we want him in the six-yard box, because there he scores goals.
"He's working so hard and also he's always in a positive mood, a positive vibe, always smiling, laughing and enjoying, so as soon as he enters the locker room, the mood raises."
Crystal Palace travel to face Shelbourne on Thursday 11 December (21:00 CET).