Crystal Palace reached the UEFA Conference League semi-finals despite a 2-1 defeat in Florence, advancing 4-2 on aggregate against Fiorentina. An early header from Ismaila Sarr eased pressure after the 3-0 first-leg victory, securing a last-four meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Fiorentina still threatened a comeback in the second leg. Albert Gudmundsson converted a first-half penalty, then Cher Ndour struck a powerful long-range effort soon after the interval. However, Crystal Palace absorbed sustained pressure and limited Fiorentina to half-chances in the closing stages.
Shakhtar Donetsk now stand between Crystal Palace and a place in the Conference League final, after Shakhtar defeated AZ Alkmaar 5-2 across two legs. The other semi-final features
Rayo Vallecano against Strasbourg, following dramatic quarter-finals for both European hopefuls.
Rayo Vallecano survived a scare from AEK Athens, progressing 4-3 on aggregate after resisting a late rally. Strasbourg advanced in far more emphatic fashion. Gary O'Neil's side overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Mainz with a 4-0 home win in the return game.
The second leg began at high tempo. Sarr almost scored inside three minutes after a direct run through midfield, but Daniel Munoz dragged the resulting shot narrowly wide of David De Gea's far post. That early warning sign soon became a serious setback for Fiorentina.
On 17 minutes, the same combination punished the hosts. Munoz delivered a dangerous cross from the right, and Sarr climbed highest to power a header beyond De Gea. At that stage, Fiorentina needed four goals just to take the tie to extra time.
Fiorentina responded with renewed urgency and finally gained a lifeline on the half-hour mark. Jaydee Canvot fouled Rolando Mandragora inside the area, and Gudmundsson showed composure from the spot. The penalty shifted momentum, and Crystal Palace began to sit deeper under sustained pressure.
Crystal Palace Conference League test of depth and Fiorentina pressure
The night became more uncomfortable for Crystal Palace either side of the interval. Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix both suffered injuries and failed to appear for the second half. Those forced changes invited Fiorentina to push higher and commit more players into Crystal Palace territory.
Ndour then struck in the 53rd minute, drilling a fierce shot from around 25 yards into the bottom-left corner. The goal revived belief inside the stadium. Crystal Palace dropped deeper, while Fiorentina chased the two further goals needed to keep their European campaign alive.
Dean Henderson produced a crucial save from Gudmundsson as Fiorentina pressed. Substitute Roberto Piccoli steered two headed chances off target during a frantic spell. Despite enjoying long spells of territory and pressure, Fiorentina could not find the accuracy needed to extend the tie.
Were on our wayyyyyyy See you in the UEFA Conference League semi-final pic.twitter.com/ChFKtNSqYKCrystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 16, 2026
Crystal Palace Conference League numbers and Sarr milestone
Crystal Palace's seven-match unbeaten sequence in the Conference League, which produced four wins and three draws, ended in Florence. Oliver Glasner is unlikely to worry about that statistic, with Crystal Palace now two matches from a potential European final appearance.
The pattern of the second leg contrasted with Crystal Palace's dominance at Selhurst Park. In London, Crystal Palace created seven big chances and generated 3.2 expected goals. Fiorentina struggled badly that night, whereas the return fixture was more balanced in terms of underlying data.
On Thursday, Crystal Palace produced nine attempts worth 1.26 expected goals. Fiorentina recorded 16 shots, producing 1.76 expected goals, reflecting their territorial pressure and urgency. Yet Crystal Palace's early away goal proved crucial, adding another layer of security on an already strong aggregate advantage.
Crystal Palace also continue to excel in the air. Their tally of five headed goals is the highest by any club in this season's Conference League. Sarr's opener in Florence contributed to that figure and also moved the forward higher in Senegal's European scoring standings.
Sarr is now joint-second among Senegalese scorers in major UEFA competitions, with 13 goals. That total matches Mamadou Niang and Dame N'Doye, with Sadio Mane leading the list on 31 goals. For Crystal Palace, Sarr's milestone aligned neatly with safe progress into the semi-finals.
