Canvot proud to help Palace make history
Jaydee Canvot says he is happy to be part of another history-making Crystal Palace side, as the Eagles reached the UEFA Conference League semi-finals on a memorable night in Florence.
The France Under-21 international was once again impressive on the right side of Palace’s back three, helping his team withstand Fiorentina’s attempted fightback in front of a vociferous Artemio Franchi Stadium to secure a place in the last four.
The Eagles’ first-ever European campaign will now continue into the last month of the season, with a two-legged tie against Shakhtar Donetsk all that stands in the way of Palace and a place in the Final in Leipzig.
The 19-year-old smiled afterwards: “I feel good, and I think the group feels good too! It's the semi-final, it's the first in the history of Crystal Palace, so we're happy.
“It's football – sometimes you have the ball and sometimes it's easy, but sometimes it's more tough. In the beginning [of the match], we were good, we had the ball, and after that, it changed a bit, the momentum went to the other team.
“But after that, we win, so obviously we're okay, we're good!”
It's crazy – there were so many to help us!
—Jaydee Canvot
Canvot has enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign in the red and blue since his summer switch from Toulouse, with Thursday’s match marking his 29th appearance of the season.
Indeed, the France youth international has been at the heart of Palace’s continental success this season, starting each of the club’s last five matches in the Conference League, making nine appearances in total, and helping the Eagles to three clean sheets.
On his success so far this season, Canvot put it down to the people around him: “I feel good, because everybody helps me a lot, the staff, the players here, JP [Mateta], Maxence [Lacroix], everybody helps me.
“I just play, I don't have stress or something – I just do what I have to do. I think I'm a confident guy, so that helps me a lot.”
And the fans in Florence?: “It's crazy – there were so many to help us! They were behind us, so that's good.”
Canvot and Palace now face another quick turnaround to domestic action, with West Ham visiting Selhurst Park on Monday evening – but the teenager declared: “Of course, now we're ready.
“We have to work more, because we have a game against West Ham, so we have to do the job – and after we think about Shakhtar [Donetsk].”