Crystal Palace FC's first-ever major European adventure is underway, as we battle to win the UEFA Conference League. Find out how you can join us on our journey.

European Tour

## World Cup winner

> Having made more than 100 appearances for Crystal Palace and now a regular captain of the side, Marc Guéhi has matured well beyond his years since moving to south London.

He joined Palace in summer 2021, signing a five-year contract with the club, and committing his services until summer 2026.

Guéhi was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and moved to England aged one. He spent much of his early years in Lewisham and began his youth career with Bromley-based Cray Wanderers.

It didn’t take long for Guéhi to attract attention and, aged just seven, he was scouted by Chelsea.

Progressing over the following decade with the Blues, Guéhi did enough to stay at the club year on year and reaped the rewards with an immensely successful peer group.

Winning the treble with the Blues’ Under-18s in 2016/17, Guéhi signed his first professional contract in September 2017 and went on to help Chelsea scoop the quadruple – including the FA Youth Cup and league – that same season.

Guéhi’s Academy team helped to reinforce Chelsea’s image as one of the fiercest youth sides in England, as the centre-back played alongside the likes of Reece James, Tariq Lamptey, Billy Gilmour, Conor Gallagher and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

But it wasn’t just at club level where Guéhi enjoyed success with a noteworthy youth team, as the teenager won the Under-17 World Cup with England in 2017. Indeed, Guéhi captained the Young Lions to the U17 European Championship final that same year and scored in the World Cup final just months later.

These performances ensured Guéhi was rewarded with a taste of first-team football, and he began to be named in Chelsea squads in spring 2019 – being a senior substitute on four occasions in 18/19.

His breakthrough came in the League Cup against Grimsby Town as the Blues stormed to a 7-1 victory with Guéhi in the backline. He again earned professional minutes for Chelsea in a fourth-round defeat against Manchester United, and secured a loan move to Swansea City shortly after.

Guéhi fought to secure his place over a half-season with the Swans that was disrupted by the league’s suspension in March. Having returned from the pause, Guéhi played in Swansea’s final five matches and helped to clinch a sixth-place finish.

Play-off heartbreak came for the first of two times as Swansea lost on aggregate to Brentford in the semi-finals, but Guéhi went on to enjoy personal progression the following season regardless.

2020/21 was something of a landmark for the defender, who returned to Swansea on loan for a full campaign and played 45 games. He became recognised as one of the league’s brightest talents and helped Swansea climb further up the table with a fourth-place finish.

Swansea and Guéhi continued to go one better than 19/20 by reaching the play-off final, but football showed its unforgiving side once again as Brentford overcame them for a second time. Guéhi played in every minute of the three play-off matches.

Guéhi describes himself as “strong, comfortable on the ball and hopefully growing to be a leader one day.”

These traits are evident in his play, with the 21-year-old having captained England Under-21s and made himself a mainstay for Swansea despite being one of the squad’s youngest players.

His attitude became clear when a post-match interview with him went viral across social media. Having earned a spot at Wembley and consecutive Man of the Match awards from Sky Sports, Guéhi humbly rebuked the accolades by saying: “The first time I was really surprised. Now I think it’s getting a bit ridiculous! Everyone was fantastic today, to a man. I could name everyone. For me to get this again, I don’t know.”

On the pitch, Guéhi is assertive and vocal, often heard organising his teammates with confidence. This confidence is reflected in his willingness to drive out from the back and distribute possession from relatively high up the pitch.

His first season in south London saw him feature in all but two of the games in 2021/22, making 42 appearances in total. His first goal for the club came in a chaotic 3-3 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor. Guéhi captained the side for the first time against Watford in February 2022, becoming the youngest player to captain the side since Nathaniel Clyne in 2012.

A month later, he earned his first ever call-up to the full England squad and made his debut in a 2-1 win against Switzerland.

Guéhi continued to be a rock at the heart of the Palace defence in 2022/23, forming a formidable partnership with Joachim Andersen. He was nearly ever-present in 22/23, playing in 40 out of a possible 41 games.

The 2023/24 campaign saw Guéhi again continue as a stalwart at the back, though in the latter half of the season he did suffer a knee injury which kept him out for two months. He concluded 23/24 with 29 appearances in all competitions.

He was called up to the England men's senior squad ahead of the 2024 UEFA European Championship and earned his 10th cap for the Three Lions with a solid defensive display and clean sheet against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June 2024.

Guéhi played a huge role at the heart of the England defence in the 2024 UEFA European Championship, playing every single minute he was eligible for as England finished runners-up in the tournament. He managed to to keep two clean sheets and register an assist for Jude Bellingham's sensational last-minute overhead kick against Slovakia in the round of 16.

In 2024/25, Guéhi continued to be one of the first names on the teamsheet and captained the side on a regular basis. He played in 44 games across all competitions, keeping 14 clean sheets, scoring three times and registering two assists. 

Guéhi also made history alongside Palace legend Joel Ward on the 17th May 2025 - going up the famous Wembley steps to lift the FA Cup, after beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. 

UEFA European Under-17 Championship, 2017

Team of the Tournament

March 2022, March 2023

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Crystal Palace, 2021/22

Players' Player of the Season

January 2025

Crystal Palace Goal of the Month

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Net88's December Player of the Month: Marc Guéhi

Match Highlights: Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (8-7 on Penalties)

Behind-the-scenes | Christmas at Palace 

Extended Highlights: Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Action: Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Guéhi praises team spirit

Guéhi reacts to clean sheet

The Best of Marc Guèhi | Brentford (H)

Pre-match Press Conference | FC Dynamo Kyiv 

Goal AND Player of the month: Marc Guehi

Goal of the month contenders | August 2025

Extended Highlights: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Highlights: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace

Behind The Scenes | Kit Shoot

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Season

Games

The Eagles played out a remarkable 15 matches in all competitions in the 49 days between Saturday, 22nd November's trip to Wolves and last Saturday's FA Cup third-round match in the North-West – averaging a fixture every three days.

Oliver Glasner's side have had more time between games this week, however, and got fully stuck into training at a sunny – albeit crisp with the winter air – Copers' Cope in South London.

Saturday's game will mark our first trip to the Stadium of Light since September 2016, when Palace came back from two goals down in the second-half to triumph 3-2, thanks to strikes from Joe Ledley, James McArthur and Christian Benteke.

**You can check out the best images from midweek training, ahead of Saturday's trip to Sunderland, below!**

#### Match Details

- Saturday, 17th January
- 15:00 GMT
- Premier League
- Stadium of Light
- [Live audio commentary on Palace TV+](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/supporters/palace-tv-plus/).

For the first time since mid-November, Crystal Palace's schedule encompasses a full week between matches – with a trip to Sunderland and the Stadium of Light up next this Saturday (17th January, 15:00 GMT).

Gallery: Eagles get set for Sunderland test

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### What are the latest updates?

**On matchday one**, **Sarr** and Senegal's campaign got underway with a 3-0 win over Botswana in Tangier, which saw the Lions of Teranga storm to the top of Group D.

The Eagles' forward started on the left of an attacking three and played the first 85 minutes, as former Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson gave Senegal the lead shortly before half-time.

Just before the hour, Sarr made his mark, playing a precise pass into the feet of Jackson who - having side-stepped a defender - swept home Senegal's second.

Cherif Ndiaye added a third after 90 minutes to give Sarr and Senegal the perfect start.

**On matchday two**, it was a less straightforward affair, as Senegal's main competitors in Group D, DR Congo, offered stiffer opposition at Grande Stade de Tangier.

Palace Academy graduate Aaron Wan-Bissaka thought he had fired the Leopards into the lead in the 14th minute, but the effort was ruled out for offside, only for Senegal to dominate the remainder of the half.

DR Congo did improve after the restart however and took the lead from close range through Cedric Bakambu, moments before Sarr was substituted – Sadio Mané grabbing Senegal an equaliser eight minutes later.

**On matchday three,** Sarr was rested as Senegal cruised to a 3-0 win over Benin, securing their place at the top of Group D.

**In the round of 16,** Sarr was back in the starting XI to face a Sudan side who – ranked 117th in the world – briefly threatened to stage an upset at the Grand Stadium in Tangier.

Having won just one of their three group-stage matches, Sudan took a surprise lead after six minutes in their first-ever knockout match at at AFCON tournament through Aamir Abdallah's looping strike.

But after Sarr was denied by the goalkeeper with a crisp low effort, Senegal would come roaring back before half-time, Villarreal midfielder Papa Gueye striking twice from the edge of the box before the whistle.

Sudan did come close to finding a second-half equaliser but paid for their profligacy when 17-year-old PSG forward Ibrahim Mbaye came off the bench for Sarr on 74 minutes and, three minutes later, smashed one in at the near post.

**In the quarter-finals,** Sarr was an unused substitute for Senegal, whose secured a narrow 1-0 win over Mali in Tangier to reach the semi-finals.

Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye was the match-winner, with Spurs' Yves Bissouma sent off for Mali just before half-time.

Chances were exchanged in the second-half, but that was enough to settle the contest.

**In the semi-finals,** there was a repeat of the 2021 final against Egypt – which Sarr's side won on penalties – with the game being played once more at Grand Stade de Tanger.

Sarr started the game on the bench but, following a cagey contest which Senegal generally dominated without converting their chances, witnessed Mané grab the winning goal 12 minutes from time with an excellent finish from outside the box.

The Palace man entered the fray on 85 minutes as a replacement for Ndiaye and helped his team see out five minutes of injury time in mostly comfort, save for a fine last-minute save by Edouard Mendy against to deny Omar Marmoush – Egypt's only shot on target in the match.

**The result means Senegal will contest their their third final in the last five iterations of the tournament this Sunday (18th January, 19:00 GMT)** at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat – and they will take on hosts **Morocco**, who overcame Nigeria in a penalty shoot-out in the other semi-final.

### **Match Details**

*All times below are GMT.*

- **Tuesday, 23rd December (Group D)**: Senegal 3-0 Botswana
  - Sarr played the first 85 minutes and registered an assist in a comprehensive win.
- **Saturday, 27th December (Group D)**: Senegal 1-1 DR Congo
  - Sarr played the first 62 minutes as his country hit back to secure an important point.
- **Tuesday, 30th December (Group D)**: Benin 0-3 Senegal
  - Sarr was rested and did not feature from the bench as his side secured top spot in Group D.
- **Saturday, 3rd January (Round of 16)**: Senegal 3-1 Sudan
  - Sarr played the first 74 minutes, going close to scoring on several occasions, and helped his team to a come-from-behind win in the round of 16.
- **Friday, 9th January (Quarter-finals)**: Mali 0-1 Senegal
  - Sarr was an unused substitute.
- **Wednesday, 14th January (Semi-finals)**: Senegal 1-0 Egypt
  - Sarr featured off the bench for the final five minutes, helping his country see out a late victory through Sadio Mané and reach a third AFCON final of his career.
- **Sunday, 18th January (Final, 19:00 GMT)**: Senegal v Morocco
  - Watch LIVE on E4, or stream online with Channel 4.

### **What is the background?**

As important a player for his country as he is for his club, Sarr – who has been in glittering form for Palace this season, with 10 goal involvements in 20 appearances so far in 2025/26 – will be hoping to claim his second AFCON title, having previously won the 2022 edition.

First held in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations – often better known as AFCON for short – is the biggest prize on offer for the 54 member associations of Confederation of African Football (CAF), with other continental equivalents being the Copa America or the European Championships.

The tournament has been held since 1957 with it being scheduled – since 1968 – every two years, switching to odd-numbered years in 2013 to prevent conflicts with the FIFA World Cup. Due to weather conditions on the African continent, it has typically been held in the late Winter or early Spring months.

However, due to FIFA expanding its Club World Cup competition to 32 teams and being played in June and July 2025, this edition of the tournament will be played between Sunday, 21st December 2025 and Sunday, 18th January 2026.

Despite initially being scheduled for summer 2025, this will now be the first time the tournament has run over the Christmas and New Year period.

Guinea were originally named as this year's hosts, but had their hosting rights revoked three years ago by CAF due to inadequate preparations, leading to AFCON 2025 being reallocated to Morocco.

Some 24 teams are involved this year, including Sarr's Senegal, who many have among the early front-runners for the competition.

Egypt are AFCON's most successful country, winning the tournament seven times, whilst Ivory Coast are the reigning holders from 2023. Senegal and Sarr have previously won the tournament just once, but will be hoping to change all that this winter...

### **How did Senegal qualify, and what is their track record?**

This year marks Senegal's sixth consecutive qualification for AFCON, and 18th appearance overall in the competition.

The *Lions de Téranga* were the sixth of the 24 teams to seal their place at the tournament after confirming top spot in qualification Group L back in October 2024, going undefeated and winning five of their six matches, scoring 10 times and conceding just once.

Sarr featured in five of those six matches, with the winning goal away to Burundi on matchday two, and an assist in a 4-0 demolition of Malawi. In total, he has earned 75 caps, scoring 18 times, for his country.

Senegal have experienced inconsistent results at AFCON since the competition's formation; having finished fourth in their 1965 tournament debut, they regularly failed to qualify – and when they did, get past the group stages – until 1990, when they went on to reach at least the quarter-finals in seven of the next nine editions of the competition, including in 1992 as tournament hosts.

That sequence included two more fourth-place finishes and, in 2002, a run to the final, where they narrowly lost out to Cameroon on penalties.

After another relatively barren run in the early 2000s, in modern times, with Sarr starring, Senegal have been perennial AFCON challengers.

Having lost out 1-0 to Algeria in the 2019 edition in Cairo – when Sarr featured in five of his country's seven matches, including the final – they finally ended their long wait with a penalty shoot-out win over Egypt in the 2021 edition in Cameroon, prompting scenes of euphoria back home in Dakar.

This is Sarr's fifth appearance at an AFCON finals tournament, having previously made 15 appearances for the *Lions de Téranga* in this competition, with three goals and four assists to his name.

### **Where will AFCON matches take place?**

Morocco are the host nation for this tournament, with nine different venues across six different host cities.

The final will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday 18th January.

In terms of Senegal's Group D fixtures, these will all take place at Tangier Grand Stadium.

### **How can I watch in the UK?**

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, all matches will be broadcast live across Channel 4's network, airing on Channel 4, E4, 4Seven, Streaming and Channel 4 Sport YouTube.

All 52 matches during the tournament will be shown across platforms provided by the free-to-air broadcaster.

The majority of matches will be shown on 4Seven, though matches played simultaneously could feature on E4, with showpiece matches to be shown on Channel 4.

*Check back on [cpfc.co.uk](http://cpfc.co.uk) for updates on how Sarr gets on throughout AFCON.*

Ismaïla Sarr reached the third Africa Cup of Nations Final of his career, helping Senegal to a 1-0 win over record seven-time winners Egypt on Wednesday evening! Read on below for the full report...

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Sarr & Senegal power into the Final

After a 10th place finish in the league phase, the Eagles will be seeded for the play-off round which means the second leg will take place at Selhurst Park.

We also know that Palace will be paired against one of two sides at Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

Let’s find out a little more about the clubs we could potentially face…

#### **SIGMA OLOMOUC**

Czech side SK Sigma Olomouc are a potential opponent after they snuck through with a 24th place finish in the league last month. This was despite losing 2-1 at home against Lech Poznań on the final matchday.

Sigma actually lost their last two league phase games, having been beaten by Lincoln Red Imps the previous week.

But wins over Armenian side Noah and Slovenian outfit Celje ensured they gathered enough points together to reach the next round.

Sigma qualified for European competition after winning the Czech Cup last season, with a 3-1 win over Sparta Prague in the final.

They initially qualified for the Europa League qualifying stage, but were defeated over two legs by Swedish Cup winners Malmo.

That meant a drop into the Conference League for the league phase.

Forward Jan Kliment was the top goalscorer last season and is the club’s main talisman. Kliment has eight caps for Czech Republic and scored his first senior international goal against Gibraltar last year.

Located on the Morava River on the eastern side of the country, Olomouc is a three-hour drive from the nation’s capital Prague. Served by trains from the rest of the country, the city also has a tram network.

Sigma play home fixtures at the 12,400 capacity Andrův Stadion, which was last renovated in 1998.

It occasionally hosts the Czech Republic national team for international fixtures, last doing so in a World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar in November.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Sigma Evropa ✊ <a href="https://t.co/oxBAISRhjz">pic.twitter.com/oxBAISRhjz</a></p>&mdash; SK Sigma Olomouc (@SKSigmaOlomouc) <a href="https://twitter.com/SKSigmaOlomouc/status/2001791532995621305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

#### **ZRINJSKI MOSTAR**

Nine-times Bosnian champions Zrinjski Mostar qualified for the knock-out stage thanks to a dramatic late equaliser in the final minutes of the league stage.

Staring at elimination, they were bumped up into 23rd place when a 93rd-minute own goal earned them a 1-1 draw against SK Rapid, and with it a precious point.

A 5-0 win over Lincoln Red Imps on matchday one had them top of the league following the first round of games.

Despite suffering a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Dynamo Kyiv, a surprise win over BK Hacken on matchday four helped them to a final total of seven points – finishing above Sigma and Romanian club Universitatea Craiova thanks to overall goals scored.

Zrinjski won the Bosnian league last season, losing just three league games all season, which earned qualification for the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round.

After aggregate defeats to Slovan Bratislava and Utrecht in the Europa League qualifiers, Zrinjski entered the Conference League at the league phase stage.

Among the Zrinjski ranks is forward Nemanja Bilbija, who remains the Bosnian Premier League’s record goalscorer, who has scored 188 league goals across two spells for the club.

The city of Mostar is the historical capital of Herezegovina and a two-hour drive from the largest city, and capital, in the country – Sarajevo. In terms of population, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s fifth-largest city.

Zrinjski play at the Bijeli Brijeg Stadium, which holds three stars on UEFA’s stadium rating system. Although first opened in 1958, it was renovated in 2024 and has a current capacity of 9,000.

#### **What happens after the play-off?**

Should the Eagles make it through the play-off round we could face one of two sides in the Round of 16.

Coincidentally, both are teams we have already faced in 2025/26 – German side Mainz 05 and Cypriot outfit AEK Larnaca.

Mainz, the former home of forward Jean-Phillipe Mateta, finished seventh in the league phase, losing just once.

They played two pre-season friendlies on the same day against Palace when both clubs were in Austria for pre-season.

The first game ended in a 1-1 draw before the German side claimed a 3-2 win in the rematch.

AEK Larnaca were the first visitors for Selhurst Park for a European ‘proper’ tie and came away with all three points on matchday two with a 1-0 victory.

That helped the Cypriot Cup holders to an eighth-place finish in the league table.

Crystal Palace will contest a two-legged play-off next month, with a place in the last 16 of the UEFA Conference League the prize.

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Gallery: Eagles get set for Sunderland test

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Sarr & Senegal power into the Final

Who could Palace face in the next round of the UEFA Conference League?

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Gallery: Eagles get set for Sunderland test

2025 Africa Cup of Nations: Sarr & Senegal power into the Final

Who could Palace face in the next round of the UEFA Conference League?

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