It’s a historic night for Crystal Palace as they travel to Poland for the first leg of their maiden European semi-final. The Eagles are set to face Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk in a high-stakes Conference League showdown, with a place in the final—set for Leipzig on May 27—on the line.

Oliver Glasner’s side earned their spot in the final four after a thrilling aggregate victory over Fiorentina, while Shakhtar booked their place by defeating AZ Alkmaar 5–2 on aggregate. Managed by Arda Turan, Shakhtar bring a wealth of experience from the Champions League and Europa League, but Palace will take confidence from their earlier success in Poland this season, having beaten Dynamo Kiev on the road.

Shakhtar have restored their strongest starting eleven after resting key players over the weekend. The Ukrainian champions boast an impressive squad featuring 14 Brazilians, including the creative Isaque Silva—though he starts on the bench as Turan manages a heavy fixture schedule. Shakhtar remain eight points clear at the top of their domestic league and are chasing a third title in four seasons.

For Crystal Palace, three key first-team players are sidelined for the trip to Krakow: Evann Guessand, Eddie Nketiah, and Cheick Doucouré are all out with various injuries. Tyrick Mitchell starts despite an Achilles issue picked up in the loss at Liverpool, while Yeremy Pino comes into the lineup in place of Brennan Johnson in the forward line.

Shakhtar have been formidable in this competition, with a record of six wins and two draws so far. They edged past Lech Poznan and AZ Alkmaar to reach this stage. Palace, meanwhile, sit 13th in the Premier League after a 3–1 defeat at Anfield, but they have won three of their seven European away matches this season and are considered favorites to lift the Conference League trophy.

Confirmed Lineups:

Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk, Bondar, Marlon, Eguinaldo, Pedrinho, Henrique, Vinicius, Elias, Matviienko, Ocheretkoi, Alisson

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Mitchell, Wharton, Kamada, Pino, Sarr, Mateta

Kick-off is set for tonight in Poland, with all eyes on whether Palace can take a crucial step toward European glory.