Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano lock horns at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Wednesday night (8pm) for the chance to win the fifth edition of the Conference League.
The clubs may clash for the first time ever as they both bid to claim their maiden European trophy, but this match will be a record 20th major European final between English and Spanish clubs.
It will also be one of the most inexperienced major finals in European history in terms of combined matches. This will be Palace’s 15 European game in their history and Rayo’s 23rd, giving a combined total of 38, which is the lowest between two finalists in a major European final since the 1964-65 Cup Winners’ Cup (19 combined games between West Ham United and 1860 Munich).
Read on for the best of the statistics ahead of the Conference League final.
Stats you might see
Crystal Palace stats
What a remarkable year it’s been for Crystal Palace. The Eagles made history last May by lifting the first major trophy in the club’s history after shocking Manchester City in the FA Cup final, before following it up with Community Shield success against Liverpool at Wembley three months later.
Now, Palace stand on the verge of another historic achievement after reaching the Conference League final in their first ever major European campaign. In doing so, they became the first European debutants to reach a major continental final since Deportivo Alaves in the 2000-01 UEFA Cup, when the Spanish side lost a famous 5-4 thriller to Liverpool.
Oliver Glasner’s side now have the chance to become the first club since KV Mechelen in 1987-88 to win a major European trophy at the first attempt.
Palace have already won eight matches in this season’s Conference League – more victories than any club has ever managed in their debut major European campaign – and they could extend that record to nine in the final.
Victory would also see the Eagles become the 12th English club to win a UEFA sanctioned competition, and the third to lift the Conference League after West Ham United in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025.
Going forward, Palace have been the competition’s most prolific side with 25 goals. One more in the final would move them level with QPR for the third-most goals scored by a club in their debut major European season. The records set by Valencia CF (33 in 1961-62) and Alaves (35 in 2000-01) are likely to be out of reach though.
Oliver Glasner chasing more history
In what will be his final game in charge of Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner is aiming to join an exclusive club by becoming only the second manager – after Jose Mourinho – to win both the Europa League and the Conference League, having previously masterminded Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League glory in 2022.
Glasner is also set to make history regardless of the outcome, by becoming just the second Austrian manager after Ernst Happel (five finals) to take charge of more than one major European final.
Should Palace lift the trophy, Glasner would repeat the feats of Keith Burkinshaw (Tottenham, 1984 UEFA Cup) and Maurizio Sarri (Chelsea, 2019 Europa League) as managers to win a major European honour in their final match at the helm of an English club.
Ismaila Sarr for the Golden Boot
Ismaila Sarr has been the standout attacking player in this season’s Conference League, leading the Golden Boot race with nine goals in 12 appearances. The Crystal Palace winger has also registered more shots (42) and more touches in the opposition box (78) than any other player in the competition.
Given that the closest active player is on four goals – Alemao of Rayo – bar a miracle, the Senegalese winger will win the top scorer award on Wednesday.
Only two players have ever scored more goals in a single Conference League campaign: Cyriel Dessers netted 10 for Feyenoord in 2021-22, while Ayoub El Kaabi struck 11 for Olympiacos in 2023-24 – two tallies Sarr has within his reach.
The Senegal international heads into the final in scintillating form, having scored eight goals in his last nine starts in all competitions. He has found the net in each of his previous five Conference League appearances since the last-16 second leg against AEK Larnaca and could become the first player in the competition’s history to score in six consecutive matches.
Brennan Johnson eyeing elite company
Brennan Johnson has the chance to join an exclusive group of players by scoring in major European finals in consecutive seasons for different clubs.
The Welshman netted the only goal in Tottenham’s Europa League final victory over Manchester United last season and could now repeat the feat with Crystal Palace.
Only two players in history have achieved this before: Ronaldo, who scored for Barcelona in the 1996-97 Cup Winners’ Cup final and for Inter Milan in the 1997-98 UEFA Cup final, and Radamel Falcao, who struck in Europa League finals for Porto in 2010-11 and Atletico Madrid in 2011-12.
Kamada eyes European double
Daichi Kamada has been one of the creative stars of Crystal Palace’s Conference League run, registering four assists: the second-most in the competition, behind only Carlo Holse of Samsunspor (five). He also leads the tournament for chances created with 17.
Kamada already knows what it takes to win in Europe, having lifted the Europa League trophy under Glasner at Frankfurt in 2022. Now the 29-year-old has the opportunity to make history as the first Japanese player to appear in – and potentially win – two major European finals.
Tackle titans
One for tackle enthusiasts here: Crystal Palace have already made a Conference League record of 270 tackles this term, which they can extend on Wednesday night.
Three of their players are included in the top tacklers table: Tyrick Mitchell (36), Daniel Munoz (33), and Chris Richards (29), while fellow Palace defender Maxence Lacroix has made the most fouls (23).
Rayo Vallecano stats
Rayo Vallecano are on the brink of history as they prepare for their first ever major European final. Victory would far eclipse their 2017-18 Segunda Division triumph, which remains their most significant honour since the club’s foundation in 1924.
The Madrid side, who have one of the lowest budgets in La Liga, could also become the first Spanish club to win the Conference League, after Real Betis fell short in last year’s final, losing 4-1 to Chelsea.
Rayo’s only previous European experience came in the 2000-01 UEFA Cup, yet they boast an impressive record in continental competition, winning 14 of their 22 major European matches (D3 L5): a 64% win rate, the best of any club to have played at least 20 games in European competition history. Another victory on Wednesday would push that figure up to 65%.
Inigo Perez to match Pep Guardiola
Inigo Perez is enjoying his first spell in management with Rayo Vallecano. At just 38 years and 129 days old, Perez is set to become the youngest Spanish manager to oversee a team in a major European final since Pep Guardiola, who was the exact same age when he led Barcelona to a 2-0 Champions League final victory over Manchester United in 2009.
