Crystal Palace are preparing for a rare European quarter-final, with Oliver Glasner urging the squad to embrace the Conference League tie against Fiorentina. The first leg at Selhurst Park offers Palace a major chance, and Glasner has reminded players that such occasions do not come often.

Palace secured this last-eight spot by edging AEK Larnaca 2-1 on aggregate before the international break. The Fiorentina clash will be Palace’s first competitive meeting with the Italian club, and also the first time the Eagles have faced any Italian side in European competition.

Recent Conference League form gives Palace confidence. The team are unbeaten in six matches in the competition, with three wins and three draws. Palace also kept clean sheets in the last two Conference League home games, beating Zrinjski 2-0 and drawing 0-0 with Larnaca at Selhurst Park.

Fiorentina arrive with strong European credentials. The Serie A club are aiming to reach the Conference League semi-finals for the fourth season in a row. No other team has progressed to the last four of this tournament more than once, underlining the experience level of Palace’s quarter-final opponents.

Glasner believes the European campaign has lifted spirits around the club and has created extra energy in training. The head coach is convinced Palace can push Fiorentina across the two legs, saying: “We will do our best to qualify for the semi-final. And that’s why we’re all looking forward,” as Thursday’s home opener approaches.

Reflecting on the impact of the Conference League run, Glasner explained how the schedule has influenced daily work at the training ground. “And I think this has affected the mood, the atmosphere at the training ground, because the players have really enjoyed it. We enjoyed ourselves, we enjoyed the football, we enjoyed the intensity [from the last game]. We have everything we will need to get a good result in the first leg. Now we’re entering crunch time. Hopefully, we have seven weeks to go. And as I told the players, it’s not every year in your career that you’re playing a European quarter-final.”

Glasner has stressed that the opening leg against Fiorentina will be crucial to shaping the tie. The aim is to use recent defensive strength at Selhurst Park to build a platform before travelling for the return match. For Palace, progress would extend a campaign that Glasner hopes can run another seven weeks.

The quarter-final places Palace alongside one of the most consistent Conference League sides, yet internal belief appears strong. With an unbeaten run in the competition, two straight home clean sheets, and improved morale around training, Palace enter the Fiorentina clash aware of the difficulty but convinced there is a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals.