‘We’ve been through it all this season – now it’s time to deliver’
Dean Henderson says Crystal Palace will channel both the highs and lows of the club’s longest-ever campaign in tonight’s UEFA Conference League Final at Leipzig Stadium.
The Eagles’ season started some 290 days ago against Liverpool in the FA Community Shield at Wembley, with Palace set to play their 60th game in that time tonight – an average of a competitive fixture every 4.8 days.
Along the way, they have lifted silverware beneath the arch; suffered a 12-game winless streak; completed a club-record 19 game unbeaten run; defeated arch-rivals Brighton & Hove Albion away from home; and battled from the UEFA Conference League qualifiers – via a testing route in itself – all the way through to tonight’s Final.
Now, Rayo Vallecano are the team which stand in the way of glory.
“I think all the boys are pretty calm,” captain Henderson said, the night before the game. “We've been here before, we know what it takes. Everyone's calm within the dressing room.
“Come tomorrow night, we'll obviously be focused, but we'll just be excited to get out there and show what we can do.
“I’m excited, I think all the boys are. We're looking forward to getting in there and getting the game underway.
“We haven't really changed anything for the last two years, so we know what we need to do. When it comes to the big games, we've delivered, and we're looking forward to delivering again.”
Reflecting on the season’s highs and lows, Henderson noted: “It's the same as any other big game.
“I think obviously this is one that will give me great pride because I think we've been through it all this season. I think the lads have been unbelievable in the Premier League.
“They've done so well to get to where we are in the Premier League, then to keep pushing on. Obviously, the quarter-finals of the Carabao too… we were running every three days. People don't realise the toll it takes on them, so I'm so proud of the lads getting themselves in this situation.
“It was mad, because obviously we got used to winning. You get in the habit of winning games of football, and it becomes easy. Then the flip side of that is, if you get in the habit of losing games of football, it becomes hard to change. We've come through it, we're buzzing, and obviously it's just exciting.
“To deliver something on the last day of the season would be incredible and I think it would be thoroughly deserved.”
It would be a great way to finish the movie off for Glasner
—Dean Henderson
Henderson also paid tribute to Manager Oliver Glasner, whose last game in charge of Palace – after his trophy-laden spell – will arrive in Leipzig.
“He’ll be a huge miss. I think he knows that,” Henderson smiled. “Yesterday, the players did a send-off video to him that spoke from the heart.
“The togetherness in this group is phenomenal. All the lads are pushing in the right direction for each other. All the staff at the training ground, everyone. It's just like a family club.
“We’re all pushing towards the same end goal, and obviously it would be a great way to finish the movie off for Glasner as well. Everyone wants that happy ending, and everyone's working towards that.
“It’d be unbelievable for him, wouldn't it? It'd be unbelievable for him. Obviously, the best manager this club's ever had…
“To finish on such a high would be sensational.”
2026 UEFA Conference League Final
Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano
- Wednesday, 27th May
- 20:00 BST UK time / 21:00 CEST local time
- Leipzig Stadium, Germany
- Live audio commentary on Palace TV+
- Visit our Conference League Final Hub