Playing their first-ever European quarter-final, Glasner’s Palace thrived off the energy of an electric Selhurst Park, scoring three times without reply – through Jean-Philippe Mateta, Tyrick Mitchell and Ismaïla Sarr – to take command of the occasion.
Fiorentina had their moments and did hit the crossbar in the early stages of the second-half, but Palace were the dominant side in the first leg, as Glasner recognised at full-time.
“More important for me was the performance today,” the Manager said, “especially in the first-half and let's say the last 20 or 25 minutes.
“It was a really fantastic performance with great power, really playing well, making pressure and always attacking the box, [playing] the ball in behind. I think the second goal was like this with Dani Muñoz, with Daichi [Kamada]’s ball.
“This was the plan. We knew that they are very, very compact, but then also we were really going in behind and creating so many chances. It was really great to see.
“But on the other side, we also have seen, I think for maybe the 15 or 20 minutes after half-time, how good Fiorentina is in this situation, and we needed the crossbar and Dean Henderson once.
“The first step is made, but we have to make the second in Florence next week.”