The road to the Europa Conference League final is set after two dramatic semifinal second-leg matches on May 7. English club Crystal Palace and Spanish side Rayo Vallecano have booked their tickets to the showpiece event in Leipzig.
In the first semifinal, Crystal Palace hosted Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk. The English side secured a 2-1 victory on the night, which was enough to seal a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate triumph. This result confirms Crystal Palace's place in their first-ever major European final.
The other semifinal saw French club Strasbourg welcome Rayo Vallecano. The Spanish visitors proved too strong, clinching a 1-0 away win. This narrow victory was sufficient to see Rayo Vallecano progress with a 2-0 aggregate scoreline, sending them to the final.
The grand finale of the 2025/2026 Europa Conference League season is scheduled for May 27. The match will take place at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, where Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano will battle for the trophy.
This season's final will feature two clubs with contrasting European histories. Crystal Palace is making its debut at this stage, while Rayo Vallecano returns to a European final after a long absence. The winner will claim their first major UEFA club competition title.
The current holders of the trophy are Chelsea, who won the 2024/2025 edition. The London club secured the title with a dominant 4-1 victory over Spanish side Real Betis in last year's final.
Fans can now look forward to an exciting final between two attack-minded teams. The match in Leipzig promises to be a thrilling contest as both clubs aim to cap their European campaigns with silverware.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.
