Crystal Palace's preparations for their crucial Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg against Fiorentina have been dealt a significant blow. Striker Eddie Nketiah will miss the match after suffering a hamstring injury in the final moments of Wednesday's training session.

Manager Oliver Glasner revealed the unfortunate timing, stating the injury occurred with just two minutes remaining in practice. "He won't make tomorrow's squad," Glasner confirmed, adding that while Nketiah will undergo a scan, the initial outlook is not positive. This is a frustrating setback for the forward, who will now face a race against time to feature again this season.

The injury news comes at a pivotal moment in Palace's European campaign, stripping the attack of a key option for a high-stakes knockout tie. Glasner expressed sympathy for the player, noting, "The worst thing for a player is when you don’t play... but when you are injured and have setbacks, that makes it very tough."

In more positive news for the Eagles, the squad otherwise appears fit. Glasner highlighted that midfielder Adam Wharton is available, and the team recently had a full complement of 23 outfield players in training for the first time this season. Palace will now need others to step up as they aim to secure a positive result against the Italian side without Nketiah.