Conference League final: Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano facts
Thursday, May 14, 2026
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There will be a new name on a European trophy when Crystal Palace take on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig at the conclusion of both teams' second season in UEFA competition.
Palace were 5-2 aggregate winners against Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals, with a 3-1 victory in Krakow – Ismaïla Sarr scoring the fastest goal in Conference League history – followed by a 2-1 home triumph in England. They had recorded a 4-2 aggregate success against Fiorentina in the quarter-finals (3-0 h, 1-2 a), having edged past AEK Larnaca (0-0 h, 2-1 a aet). The London club had finished tenth with ten points in the league phase and subsequently beat Zrinjski 3-1 on aggregate in the knockout phase play-offs (1-1 a, 2-0 h).
Alemão scored the only goal of the game in both legs of Rayo's semi-final against Strasbourg (1-0 h, 1-0 a), in what was the first meeting between Spanish and French teams in the Conference League proper. Rayo held on to defeat AEK Athens 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals (3-0 h, 1-3 a), having progressed to that stage by beating Samsunspor 3-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 (3-1 a, 0-1 h). They finished their first-ever group stage/league phase campaign in fifth position in the table, on 13 points.
Last match
This is the first meeting between the sides and the first time Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano have faced opponents from the other's country.
This is only Palace's second season in UEFA competition and a first since their 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup campaign, where they lost 0-4 on aggregate against Samsunspor in the third round (0-2 h, 0-2 a).
Crystal Palace are the third English club – all from London – to reach the Conference League final, after West Ham (2022/23) and Chelsea (2024/25), who both went on to lift the trophy.
Rayo's only previous European campaign took them to the quarter-finals of that 2000/01 UEFA Cup campaign, where they lost to fellow Spanish side Alavés 2-4 on aggregate (0-3 a, 2-1 h).
They have therefore reached their first UEFA final in only their second season of European competition.
Rayo are the second Spanish team to reach the Conference League final following Real Betis, who lost 1-4 to Chelsea last season.
Key stats
Crystal Palace are aiming to become the 12th different English club to win a major UEFA men's club competition after Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Ipswich, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and West Ham.
The Eagles have lost only three of their 16 Conference League matches this season (W9 D4).
Palace are the top scorers in this season's Conference League (league phase to final) with 25 goals, three more than nearest rivals Rayo Vallecano (22).
Sarr has scored in Palace's last five Conference League matches, six goals in all. He is the top scorer in the competition proper this season with nine goals.
Brennan Johnson scored the only goal as Tottenham beat Manchester United in last season's UEFA Europa League final.
Yéremy Pino was the youngest Spanish player to start a major European final, aged 18 years 218 days, when he won the 2020/21 Europa League with Villarreal.
Daichi Kamada scored in the penalty shoot-out as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers in the 2021/22 Europa League final.
Oliver Glasner is aiming for a second European trophy as a coach having led Frankfurt to that 2022 Europa League triumph.
Rayo Vallecano have lost only four of their last 20 European matches (W14 D2).
Rayo coach Iñigo Pérez came on as a substitutes as Athletic Club lost 0-3 to Atlético de Madrid in the 2011/12 Europa League final.
Pérez, in his first UEFA campaign in charge, could become the second Spanish coach to win the Conference League after José Luis Mendilibar's 2023/24 triumph with Olympiacos.