Conference League Performance Insights: Crystal Palace's trophy-winning formula
Friday, May 29, 2026
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UEFA Technical Observers Jan Peder Jalland and Rui Faria look at the details of Crystal Palace's UEFA Conference League final win against Rayo Vallecano.
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"All the details – he's very detailed in his analysis before every single game. He watches the opposition a million times and he knew they were going to be tough, but we had a game plan and stuck to it."
Oliver Glasner's stock has never been higher after Crystal Palace won the UEFA Conference League final, the manner of their victory earning him the rich praise above from midfielder Adam Wharton.
In this article, the UEFA Technical Observer Group, working with the UEFA game insights unit, delves deep into the factors that enabled the English club to lift their first European trophy.
Possession, positioning and midfield play
As Player of the Match Wharton would concur, it was all in the details, starting with Palace's strategy in possession, their positioning and the play of their two central midfielders.
In Leipzig, the tactical landscape presented by Rayo Vallecano's defensive approach afforded Palace space on their left side, which they looked to exploit with either left-sided central defender Chadi Riad driving forward with the ball into that area or Wharton's midfield partner Daichi Kamada pulling wide to receive.
The Eagles' exploitation of the left was part of a Glasner game plan that included coordinated movements within Palace's usual setup. "I've watched enough of Palace and normally the No6s do not pull wide," confirmed UEFA Technical Observer Jan Peder Jalland. "They normally don't have that much fluidity. They were clearing that space to then use it."
The opening video has two examples of them negotiating the pressing of the front four from Rayo; the clips display the consistency of structure, understanding of space, and familiarity of positions of a well-drilled outfit. "Palace adapted to the spaces given by Rayo while largely remaining in their structure," said UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria.
In the case of the goal, once Palace managed to break the pressure from the front four, the Eagles had an opportunity to create from deep. Receiving from Kamada, Wharton seized the initiative with a forward surge that exhibited tremendous drive and desire and took advantage of the fact Rayo's defenders were occupied with the Palace forwards. "Wharton had the freedom to progress with the ball and shoot," said Jalland.
"Adam and Daichi played very, very well because we knew they would press us with -1 player to keep a +1 in the back, and then it was: 'How quick can we switch the side?'"
If the relational play between the two No6s was key to Palace's success, the next video sequence focuses on how they operated, spotlighting their range of passes and progressions. There was often a sideways pass followed by a forward pass that broke a line and reached the forwards or wing-backs.
Passing interchanges between the midfield pair were especially common and against Rayo they found each other 12 times. "If you can have this relational connection with good players, then you get elite progression and penetration," said Jalland. "With their awareness and transition, they were the complete package."
In addition, the graphic illustrates the forward passes registered by both players, with 22 for Wharton (who also produced the most passes ending in the final third, 18) and 13 for Kamada.
Rayo had been limited to just two shots in the first half, and it was never going to get easier to break through the Premier League side's formidable back five once Jean-Philippe Mateta's 51st-minute strike had given them a lead to protect. The final statistic that seven of Rayo's ten shots were forced to be taken from outside the box bore out forward Jorge De Frutos' assessment: "Palace are a top team. They have no problem playing with a low defensive block."
The third video instalment demonstrates how effectively the Palace defensive line functioned, sliding across the pitch while the front three and the two central midfielders blocked the middle while providing a platform for the transition.
In the first clip it is worth noting the pivoting between Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell, as one wing-back jumps out to press when the ball is on their side while the opposite wing-back tucks in to maintain a back four.
No through road
More generally, Iñigo Pérez's men struggled with the power and physicality of Palace. "We didn't find that penetration, that energy, that fluidity that we usually have," conceded the Rayo coach.
Technical Observer Jalland elaborated: "The physicality of Palace was a big difference, both with and without the ball. They managed to get in front and use their physicality. Palace's defending was so important to winning the final."
These sentiments were shared by Glasner, who said "We defended so well at the end" after an "incredible" 15 minutes straight after half-time. He continued: "This is what I see as my job – to get everybody aligned in the way we're playing, in the way we're defending, in the way we're attacking and in the mindset we have."
All told it was just too much for the Spanish team.
Coaching focus: Playing through centrally
The Wharton-Kamada midfield link brought into relief several issues including the emphasis on moving the ball forward, how they dovetailed as two No6s and the different angles they created. For coaches, it also raised the question of how best to prepare for the relational tactical battle going on in the middle of the pitch – and more precisely, how to train the No6s to reach the No10s. For Jan Peder Jalland, the answer is a 'playing through centrally' training drill in a 3+2 structure which can be shared with coaches of all levels.
"The first thought was about building up possession with direction," explained Jalland. "For a lot of young coaches, it's important that we show that it's with direction, it's with intention. That's the key here; the awareness, the forward thinking, the angles, the distance and also that the press varies, the space opens up and 'Where's the free man?'"
The drill begins as a 5v4 situation but can be scaled up to 7v6.
"In the context of the Conference League final, the five red shirts in the box represent the Crystal Palace back three plus the two No6s, so the challenge of the drill is to move the ball within the highlighted box, work out different angles and find the two central midfielders," continued Jalland. "Then the No6s need to pass vertically into the pockets represented by two small goals. A one-touch pass into the goal earns two points; if it takes two, three or more touches, then it's one point.
"The larger-sized 7v6 variation requires the introduction of two No10s and a dribble line, because the task becomes about playing between the lines – quick passes, driving the ball and penetration.
"Therefore, the onus is on the No10s getting into the pocket by dribbling across the red line to gain a point."
Norway Under-21 national team boss Jan Peder Jalland began coaching at the age of 24, spending a decade at Stabæk before joining the Norwegian Football Federation in 2019. After coaching various national youth teams, he took the reins of the U21s in 2023.
Rui Faria worked as assistant to José Mourinho, winning the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League at Porto, multiple domestic titles with Chelsea and Real Madrid, the 2009/10 Champions League with Inter and then the 2016/17 Europa League with Manchester United.
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