Glasner: Our European journey continues
Oliver Glasner thanked Crystal Palace's magnificent travelling support after the Eagles sealed a place in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals following a dramatic night in Cyprus against AEK Larnaca.
Palace earned a hard-fought 2-1 aggregate win in Larnaca to secure a place in the last eight of the competition.
Two goals from Ismaïla Sarr won the day, but that doesn't tell the full story of a dramatic night that also saw the tie go to extra-time and the home side receive two red cards.
But the result means the Eagles will now face Italian side Fiorentina – two-time Conference League finalists – over two legs next month for a place in the final four.
"It's a little bit the story of our season," Glasner told Palace TV. "Scoring, controlling everything, and then losing a goal to a set-play.
"And then the crowd is back, and they got their belief back – but I liked the reaction because we increased the pressure and created chances.
"They got the red card and then really pressure, pressure. Then we scored the goal. We could have decided it much earlier, of course, because we hit the post three times, and when you're just one goal up, it's always very tight of course.
"But in the end we achieved what we wanted to achieve. We're in the quarter-finals, so my congratulations to the players.
"Thank you and congratulations to our supporters and fans. They were very loud today and it's not easy in this emotional atmosphere, but we could really hear the support.
"They pushed us and always stuck with us.
"And at the end, our European journey continues."
All these experiences will help us
—Oliver Glasner
Glasner said of the general performance: "I was pleased with many parts, but at the end, what we are missing , when we have the lead, is not giving them anything.
"We knew that they could just score from maybe a transition or from a set play. Then we made one or two mistakes, giving them a few set plays, long throw-ins. From one, we got punished.
"That's important, but this is what we have to learn from this. Let's say in the Premier League, you have 38 games, but in the European competition, you have two. You can't allow it because then you could be out.
"This is what we will learn, what the players will definitely learn. All these experiences will help us. Now, we are looking forward to the game against Fiorentina."
The Manager also hailed doubled Ismaïla Sarr, who scored his 14th and 15th goals of the campaign: "It's a great season. Honestly, I'm not really surprised. I predicted it before the season.
"He had a great season last year without pre-season, without being in a rhythm. He started slow, which was completely normal. He wasn't allowed to train at Marseille. He wasn't allowed to play at Marseille. Then, he showed how good he is.
"Now he knows exactly how we want to play. He knows where to move, where to run. He's in the pocket. He makes runs in behind. He always gets his chances in there. He has the confidence to score.
"He's in fantastic shape and it's great for us to have him."