Oliver Glasner: The grand finale in the 'Cup of Losers'
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Austrian coach Oliver Glasner could win the UEFA Conference League with Crystal Palace, a competition often seen as a 'Cup of Losers'.
- Glasner previously won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt, highlighting his European success.
- Crystal Palace faces Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the final, with English clubs having a strong recent record in the competition.
Austrian manager Oliver Glasner has the opportunity to cap his tenure at Crystal Palace by winning the UEFA Conference League, a competition often derided as the 'Cup of Losers.' Despite its third-tier status in European club football, Glasner could achieve a significant European trophy with the London club.
If the good old Uefa Cup was already the 'Cup of Losers' (Franz Beckenbauer), what then is the new, third-class Conference League?
Glasner has already instilled a winning culture at Crystal Palace, leading them to their first-ever trophies: the FA Cup and the Community Shield in 2025. Winning the Conference League would add another major accomplishment to his time with the club. His previous success includes winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, demonstrating his capability in European competitions.
The final pits Glasner's Crystal Palace against Spain's Rayo Vallecano. While the Conference League may not attract the biggest names, it has provided some exciting matches. English clubs have recently dominated the competition, with West Ham United winning last year and Chelsea securing the title the year before. Despite this, Glasner's past European success suggests that a victory for Crystal Palace would not be a complete surprise.
Glasner has instilled a winning culture at Crystal Palace, leading them to their first-ever trophies: the FA Cup and the Community Shield in 2025.
The article notes the Conference League's reputation, contrasting it with the Champions League and Europa League. It mentions the occasional appearance of larger clubs, like Fiorentina this season, and the participation of less prominent teams, such as Gibraltar's Lincoln Red Imps FC. Nevertheless, the competition continues to exist due to clubs' desire for European "glory nights" and the revenue it generates.
A red-white-red [Austrian] coach as a European Cup champion may sound extraordinary – and it is, especially since Glasner already achieved this feat with Eintracht Frankfurt (Europa League 2022).
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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