UEFA Conference League final analysis: Adam Wharton stars for Oliver Glasner's Crystal Palace heroes
Thursday, May 28, 2026
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UEFA Technical Observer Jan Peder Jalland analyses the creative force in Oliver Glasner's team that helped make Crystal Palace's UEFA Conference League dream come true.
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Four years after lifting his first European trophy, Oliver Glasner was back on the podium on Wednesday night with Crystal Palace, 1-0 winners against Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final.
The Austrian coach deployed the same 5-2-3 formation and similar tactics, but while it took a penalty shoot-out for Glasner's Eintracht Frankfurt to win the UEFA Europa League against Rangers, the difference-maker this time was Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and his creative powers.
In this Leipzig meeting of first-time European finalists, Wharton crafted the main moments for a Palace team who played their best football whenever the No20 was on or around the ball – providing chance creation with two key passes and an assist, as well as speed, strength and directness alongside midfield partner Daichi Kamada, as the following video highlights.
The first clip shows Wharton at the start and finish of Palace's best first-half chance as his well-executed tackle leads to him playing creative passes to first Jean-Philippe Mateta then Tyrick Mitchell.
Wharton underlined his Player of the Match credentials with his role in the second clip, a 14-pass move ending in Mateta’s 51st-minute goal. He exudes composure and purpose as he carries the ball into space to register the first shot on goal of the final. "I saw Daniel Muñoz at the back post and I was going to play it to him," said the 22-year-old. "I got close enough to have a shot and thankfully it went straight to JP [Mateta], so it was a good shot!"
"Wharton has this ability to find space, and with his creativity he opened up the Rayo Vallecano defence," said UEFA Technical Observer Jan Peder Jalland. "He is sharp technically and has great awareness with the ball at his feet. A top player!"
Shortly after, Wharton hoovered up another loose ball to play the first-time pass that almost resulted in a second Mateta goal. "Palace won the game centrally as Wharton controlled the midfield together with Kamada," added Jalland, while Rayo coach Iñigo Pérez conceded: "Palace didn't let us show our best qualities."
Remarkably Wharton had been a fitness doubt, and his contribution embodied the collective buy-in from Palace's squad. "As a manager, you cannot do anything alone," affirmed Glasner. "The players always listened to me, supported me, trusted in me." Such belief in the process across a 60-game season enabled Glasner to joyfully repeat his dive celebration from Frankfurt's victory in 2022.
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