Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Leipzig plays host to the 2026 UEFA Conference League final, as Premier League meets La Liga.

Neither team has competed in a European final before. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images/Angel Martinez/UEFA/Getty Images

The sixth iteration of the UEFA Conference League concludes at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Wednesday night, as Crystal Palace take on Rayo Vallecano.

Both clubs are preparing for their first continental final, with Madrid-based Rayo searching for their maiden piece of major silverware in eastern Germany.

While Palace qualified for UEFA’s newest club competition by winning the FA Cup last year, the La Liga side are aiming to complete a project that was ignited by departing Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola in 2020. They’re now led by his former assistant, Iñigo Pérez, who has guided the club to back-to-back eighth-place finishes in the Spanish top flight—a position they’d reached just once before.

Neither team was particularly dominant in the league phase, with Palace even needing the playoff round to reach the knockouts. However, the Eagles have since overcome AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk with an increasing level of ease to reach the final.

Rayo, meanwhile, held off Samsunspor and AEK Athens before beating league phase table-toppers Strasbourg in the last four. On the domestic front, they missed out on seventh spot in La Liga to Getafe on the final day. Thus, there will be no European soccer for Pérez’s men next season if they fail to upset the odds on Wednesday.

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Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano Score Prediction

Premier League Dominance Shows

Crystal Palace are the favorites to triumph in Leipzig. | MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Premier League has flexed its might on the continent this decade, and Palace are aiming to become the third English club to win this competition since its inauguration five years ago.

West Ham United won in 2023, while Chelsea thumped Real Betis in the showpiece event last year. The recent Europa League final between Aston Villa and Freiburg was also hardly a contest. Some may fear a similar one-sided final in Leipzig, but Rayo Vallecano cannot be underestimated.

Pérez has got La Liga’s answer to Bournemouth punching above their weight, with Spain’s best often troubled by the high-octane ideals that were initially instilled by Iraola. They will not go down without a fight in what is, without question, the biggest game in their history.

• Concerning trend: Palace may merely be a middling Premier League outfit, but their wage bill blows Rayo’s out of the water. We’re not projecting a comfortable victory for the Eagles, with their opponents’ ideals bound to trouble Oliver Glasner’s side, but there’s an obvious talent disparity. If they win on Wednesday, half of all Conference Leagues will have been won by English teams.
• Glasner bows out: “[Crystal Palace chairman, Steve Parish] said the best day possible was the FA Cup final, but I think the best day is still to come in Leipzig," Glasner asserted ahead of his final game in charge of Palace. The Austrian, who has previously won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt, has seen his side grow into this competition. He’s surely not going to depart the south London club with a crushing defeat on his resumé.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1–0 Rayo Vallecano

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Crystal Predicted Lineup vs. Rayo Vallecano

Palace should be well-rested for the final. | FotMob

Glasner unsurprisingly rang the changes on the final day of the Premier League season against newly-crowned champions Arsenal, attempting to preserve his key players for Wednesday’s final.

However, Adam Wharton was forced off just 15 minutes after coming on at the weekend, immediately thrusting his status for Leipzig into doubt. Thankfully, the classy midfield operator has traveled with the squad, and he‘s expected to be named in Palace’s starting lineup.

The same goes for Chris Richards, who tore two ankle ligaments in the draw at Brentford 10 days ago. The USMNT defender has been considered 50-50 for the final.

Eddie Nketiah and Cheick Doucouré are sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while Borna Sosa is unlikely to feature due to a muscle complaint.

Crystal Palace predicted lineup vs. Rayo Vallecano (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Muñoz, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta.

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Rayo Vallecano Predicted Lineup vs. Crystal Palace

Underdogs Rayo are aiming to pull off the upset. | FotMob

The status of Ilias Akhomach is the primary concern for the La Liga side. The winger suffered an injury while warming up for the second leg of Rayo’s semifinal against Strasbourg, and hasn’t featured since.

He’s a doubt for the final, but Pérez has been boosted by the return of Álvaro García, who sits second in their Conference League scoring charts this term.

Former Lazio defender Luiz Felipe is out with a hamstring injury, while Carlos Martín is nursing a back issue.

Rayo Vallecano predicted lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-5-1): Batalla; Rațiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Chavarría; Valentín, López, Palazón, García, De Frutos; Alemão.

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What Time Does Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano Kick Off?

• Location: Leipzig, Germany
• Stadium: Red Bull Arena
• Date: Wednesday, May 27
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Maurizio Mariani (ITA)
• VAR: Marco Di Bello (ITA)

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How to Watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN USA, TUDN.com, TUDN App, ViX
United Kingdom	TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, tabii, HBO Max
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico	ESPN Mexico, Claro Sports, Disney+ Premium Mexico, tabii

• MORE: Full list of Conference League final broadcasters around the world

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