Crystal Palace have advanced to the semi-finals of the Conference League, defeating Fiorentina 4-2 on aggregate despite losing the second leg 2-1 in Florence. The Eagles took an early lead through Ismaila Sarr's header, but Fiorentina fought back with goals on either side of injury substitutions for Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix.
However, Palace's first-leg advantage proved insurmountable, and they will now face Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals. Palace became the fifth English club to reach the Conference League last four, following in the footsteps of Chelsea, West Ham, Leicester, and Aston Villa. The first leg of the semi-final is scheduled for April 30, with the second leg taking place on May 7. Palace's European dream remains alive, and they are one step closer to securing their first European trophy.
Manager Oliver Glasner praised his team's resilience, saying, 'In the knockout stages, sometimes it's not always about playing the best football. You need different skills, and today it was about being resilient and working hard.'