Oliver Glasner is refusing to let sentiment get in the way of history. With Crystal Palace on the brink of their first major European trophy, the departing manager has made it clear: "Now is not the time to get melancholic."

The Eagles are flying high in the UEFA Conference League, carrying a commanding 3-1 lead into Thursday's semi-final second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park. Should they hold firm, it would set up a dream final in Leipzig on May 27—and potentially Glasner's final match in charge before his contract expires in June.

It's been a remarkable ride for the 51-year-old Austrian. In his first full season, he delivered the unthinkable: the FA Cup in 2025, the first major trophy in Palace's 120-year history. The Community Shield followed at the start of this campaign, giving the South London faithful a taste of silverware they'd long craved.

But football, as ever, moves fast. The FA Cup defence ended abruptly in January, knocked out by non-league Macclesfield in a third-round shock. Days later, Glasner announced his departure—a move widely seen as a protest against the club's transfer policy.

"I made my decision and I have my reasons," Glasner said in Wednesday's pre-match press conference. "But as I've always said, we want to end the season in the best possible way—and now we have the chance to do it. Now is not the time to get melancholic. It's about staying focused."

His message to the players is equally clear: "Don't do anything for me. Do it for yourselves, do it for the club, do it for the fans. Winning the Conference League means European football again next year at Selhurst."

Glasner even served up a sweet metaphor for his squad's hunger. "The players tasted the honey last year with the FA Cup. This year it's the Conference League, and they want honey again. They won't be happy with just avocado—so they want it a bit sweeter."

Standing in their way is a Shakhtar side desperate to overturn the deficit. Beyond that, a final against either Strasbourg or Rayo Vallecano awaits. But Glasner, whose side stumbled 3-0 to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend, is taking nothing for granted.

For Palace fans, the dream is simple: one more chapter in a fairytale season, and a European trophy to remember their departing manager by. No sadness—just glory.