Conference League semi-finals: What to look out for in the first legs

Shakhtar Donetsk take on English side Crystal Palace, while Rayo Vallecano have Strasbourg to contend with in their UEFA Conference League semi-final.

See what lies ahead in the first legs.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace

Shakhtar boss Arda Turan felt that fate might have played its part in lining his side up for a semi-final against Palace. "I went to the Crystal Palace stadium in December to watch a game," he said after the Pitmen concluded their quarter-final success against AZ Alkmaar. "I had a dream, and some of my friends laughed at this. Now, I will make fun of them!"

Having reached the semis in their first season in this competition, Shakhtar are no joke, with Palace boss Oliver Glasner well aware of the 2008/09 UEFA Cup winners with a knack for spotting top Brazilian talent. "I expect a very technical side," said Glasner, who took some comfort from the fact that Palace beat Shakhtar's eternal rivals Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 in the league phase.

Palace are charting new terrain after making it to the semi-finals in only their second continental campaign. They boast the top scorer left in the competition in seven-goal Ismaïla Sarr, and goalkeeper Dean Henderson feels they are only just hitting their stride, explaining: "We're starting to build momentum at just the right time, and it's fantastic."

Rayo Vallecano vs Strasbourg 

As with Palace, Rayo's second season in European competition is going rather well, the side from the Madrid suburbs having now surpassed their previous best, when they were eliminated in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2000/01. "We want to take it one step further, and we want to improve and correct our mistakes," said midfielder Isi Palazón after his side scuffed past AEK Athens in the last eight. "Hopefully this dream will last a long time."

Against AEK, Rayo built up a 3-0 lead in the first leg, then clung on in the return leg, going 3-0 down before Isi Palazón's goal stopped the rot. In contrast, their semi-final opponents Strasbourg lost their away game against Mainz 2-0 then roared back to win 4-0 at home (despite having a penalty saved at 2-0 up).

The French side are in their first major European semi-final too, with their youthful team having managed coach Liam Rosenior's departure to Chelsea and the arrival of his fellow Englishman Gary O'Neil. "I'm not scared of failing," said the ex-Bournemouth and Wolves boss, whose side are also in contention in the French Cup. "Let's see what we can do. We still have no trophies at the moment. We still have to work hard to get anywhere near any."

Where is the 2026 Conference League final?

UEFA via Getty Images

Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig, Germany, is the venue for the Conference League final on 27 May 2026. The 47,000-capacity stadium staged five games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and four at UEFA EURO 2024, including the dramatic 1-1 draw between Croatia and Italy in Group B.