It's a huge night in south London as Crystal Palace aim to become just the third English club to reach a UEFA Conference League final. The Eagles travel to Selhurst Park on Thursday with a commanding 3–1 aggregate lead over Shakhtar Donetsk, and history is firmly on their side — Palace have won both previous European ties in which they took the first leg.
With a spot in the Leipzig final now tantalizingly close, Oliver Glasner’s men will look to lean on their formidable home form. Palace have lost only three of their 15 Conference League matches this season, and they've kept three consecutive clean sheets at Selhurst Park in the competition. That defensive solidity will be key against a Shakhtar side expected to press high, a tactic the Eagles have grown adept at exploiting.
After a heavily rotated side fell to defeat at Bournemouth at the weekend, Glasner is expected to restore his first-choice lineup. Borna Sosa and Will Hughes are both pushing for returns after missing the trip to the south coast, while Evann Guessand could feature as he nears full recovery from a knee injury. However, Eddie Nketiah is out for the season, and Cheick Doucouré’s availability remains uncertain.
Maxence Lacroix will anchor a defense that limited Shakhtar to very few clear chances in the first leg in Poland. Tyrick Mitchell and Adam Wharton are both poised to return to the starting XI after being rested, adding fresh legs and composure to the side.
Up front, all eyes will be on Ismaïla Sarr. The winger has scored in four consecutive Conference League matches and is the competition’s joint-top scorer with eight goals. Jørgen Strand Larsen, who netted a vital goal off the bench in the first leg, remains a dangerous option in reserve.
Predicted Crystal Palace XI: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Muñoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta.
The Conference League semi-final second leg kicks off at 20:00 BST on Thursday, 7th May 2026. UK viewers can watch live on TNT Sports 2, with streaming also available via the HBO Max app and website.