Glasner on facing Larnaca again, the European journey & Adam Wharton…

First-team

13 hours ago

Crystal Palace's historic venture into the UEFA Conference League continues on Thursday evening (20:00 GMT kick-off), with the Eagles set to face Cypriot side AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park for a second time this season in the first leg of a Round of 16 tie.

Read the Manager's pre-match team news update here.
Tickets available for Thursday night's second leg.
How to watch & follow the first leg at Selhurst Park.

Palace come up against the Cypriot Cup holders for a second time, hoping to unpick the steely defence which has seen Larnaca concede just once in Europe so far this season, and come away with three points from SE25 on matchday two of the league phase.

It has been a significant week for the visitors, as well, with Larnaca having seen managerial turnover in the last week; new boss Javi Rozada will make his debut in the dugout on Thursday night.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, conducted alongside Adam Wharton, Oliver Glasner discussed the challenge that poses for Palace; the potential prize of a European quarter-final; and the form of the England midfielder sat alongside him.

Read on below for the key talking points!

Pre-match Press Conference | AEK Larnaca (H)

On Larnaca having a new manager, Javi Rozada…

It makes it more challenging, I would say. But we already watched his former team, how he played with them.

We don't know how much he is going to change within two days or three days, because in Larnaca's last game on Friday, where they won 3-0 [against Akritas Chlorakas], he was not in charge, so that's the question we have.

But on the other side, they also changed their formation when they played us. Usually they're always playing a back fou. Against us, they played a back five, whereas in possession, the way they're playing is the same, regardless which system they are playing.

So yes, the focus is on us, on our performance, what we want to do, how we can create chances, because this is what we have to respect. And I have huge respect for this.

They just conceded one goal in the entire group stage and this was in the 94th minute at Hacken, so they are very consistent in their defensive formation, again, regardless of which system they are playing.

Then it's for us to create chances and of course to score goals, and keeping a good balance so that we don't allow them to transition.

On watching October’s game against Larnaca back…

We always do, when we have the opportunity to watch a game back, to learn from this game and to find some areas where we can exploit them. This is how we always prepare and this is what we are telling the players.

On the other side, we want them to also be creative and be free in the attack too. But of course, it's to show them where we can find spaces, because it's not so easy when they are playing in a very deep block.

I think we showed this at Tottenham before half-time, when they played in a very deep block, that we could find spaces. Yeah, it was twice Adam [Wharton] with a great pass, but also the runs in behind, even when there is a deep line – and this is what we want to do more and more and more.

And also to be honest, in the second-half, we didn't do well enough at Tottenham, because otherwise we would have created more chances. But tomorrow is the next opportunity.

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Every session is valuable, and I hope we are a small step further than we were last week
—Oliver Glasner

On having a full week between matches ahead of Thursday night’s game…

To be honest, I gave the players an incentive that they’d get another day off when we qualified for this round! So we didn't have a full week because the players deserved a long weekend.

We started on Monday and, when we watch our games back, we’re still especially integrating the new players into the way we are playing. I think it's getting better and better, but we are far away from being perfect.

This is what we've always done, showing them our analysis, and then going out and practising it on the pitch. Therefore, every session is valuable, and I hope we are a small step further than we were last week against Tottenham, and I hope this will continue until the end of the season.

On playing in the last 16 of a European competition…

I don't know if it's the most important game at Selhurst Park [ever]. If you get promoted or maybe not relegated, it is also very important for the club's future.

But yeah, it's definitely a big game for us.

Now, my feeling is we're coming closer and closer to the goal we had when we started this competition, and this makes it exciting, a little bit similar.

I think that's the special thing about any competition. In the Premier League it's the same. And now the closer the end comes, the more important every game gets. You can't allow losing points.

And then, of course, in the knockout stage, you can't allow making mistakes because then you're out of the competition. That makes it exciting.

Now, it's round of last 16, and this was always the big goal, going into the knockout stages and, of course, going as far as possible – hopefully, to Leipzig.

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Hopefully, we will see him playing at Selhurst again this season
—Oliver Glasner

On Cheick Doucouré, who played 45 minutes for the Under-21s last week, his first match in over a year…

He had a very good 45 minutes, no issues afterwards, so that's the most important thing. He trained with us, but we also decided he’d join the Under-21 session today. That's why he was not with us, because our session today was not the highest intensity and the Under-21s have a quite extensive session today, so that’s best for him.

He also will play on Saturday with the Under-21s [against Wolverhampton Wanderers] – now hopefully longer, 60 minutes, 70 minutes, as long as he feels comfortable on the pitch – and this will help him to get back into his best shape and he will get all our support.

Hopefully, we will see him playing at Selhurst again this season, for us.

On options at right wing-back, with Daniel Muñoz out injured…

Nothing changes. First of all, I think it's not so easy to find a more attacking wing-back than Daniel Muñoz. Of course, Nathaniel Clyne is a little bit more a different profile, but he also did very well against Tottenham.

And we were already changed within the game, playing Ismaila Sarr there, Brennan Johnson. We also have the opportunity to play an inverted player there, like we did at Shelbourne with Justin Devenny.

We have many options, that's very good, and that's what we need.

On playing the first leg at home…

I think it was more important with the away goal rule, but this changed four years ago, I think.

Of course, it's always good to win at home. But just I remember the last round, I think Fiorentina, they won in Poland 3-0, and at home, they were 3-0 down and had to go to extra-time.

It's always take it game by game, and the approach is the same regardless of playing away or at home: to win the game and playing our way of football, showing our standard.

That's the most important thing because then we have the best chance to win the game.

On Adam Wharton…

Adam is leading the team for assists, so I think it's a massive step for him. It's his first regular Premier League season. He has five assists in the Premier League, I think seven in all competitions.

And I think it's what he said: he was always used to playing like a No. 6 and he was always great in getting the game into the final third with his passing quality. I think his next step is also showing this passing quality in the final third.

I think his first step was like this, and having seven assists is great from this position. And the second is getting into positions where you can score, and he’s had this.

The next step will be – and this will definitely be, because Adam is so open to learning and to improving, that he will take these chances and score goals.

But it's not just the woodwork, but he is in these positions – after 40 seconds, he had a good finish at Tottenham’s stadium.

We all want everything at once, that's how we are, but I think for Adam it was huge progress with his assists and with his quality, also not just showing in our own half, showing in the opposite half, and then the next step will definitely come that he scores goals.

Match Details

Crystal Palace v AEK Larnaca

Thursday, 12th March
20:00 GMT
Selhurst Park
UEFA Conference League play-off round, second leg
Tickets available to purchase here.

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