Mateta scores Conference League winner as Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Leipzig
Crystal Palace are Conference League winners for the first time in their history, Jean-Philippe Mateta turning in an Adam Wharton rebound shortly after half-time at the Red Bull Arena to beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Leipzig.
The first half had passed without a shot on target, with Rayo's Alemão flicking Pep Chavarría's cross wide and Unai López drilling a long-range effort past the same post. Augusto Batalla, the Rayo goalkeeper, had Palace's only sighter from distance safely in his arms.
Wharton drives, Mateta finishes
The deadlock broke five minutes after the interval. Wharton carried the ball forward, decided against the pass, and rolled a low strike at Batalla from the edge of the box. The goalkeeper got down well enough to push it away but only into Mateta's path, and the Frenchman swept the rebound in from close range.
Rayo nearly hit back almost straight from the restart. Yeremy Pino's free-kick from the right hit the inside of the near post, spun across the face of goal and came back off the far stick, with no one in red and white close enough to bundle home. Mateta then bore down on Batalla one-on-one and saw the goalkeeper save with his legs.
Wharton named player of the match
The 22-year-old, who broke into the England squad in 2024 and has been a regular in midfield for Palace this season, was named Laufenn Player of the Match. The assist for Mateta was the headline contribution, with Palace seeing the second half out from there.
For manager Oliver Glasner this was the last match of his Palace contract, which expires in June. He leaves with a European trophy, on top of the FA Cup that the club lifted against Manchester City at Wembley in May 2025. That is a continental and domestic honour twelve months apart, for a side that has just finished 15th in the Premier League.
The trophy and what comes next
This is Crystal Palace's first European silverware in 121 years as a club. The win earns them a Europa League place for the 2026-27 season.
Rayo, in their first European final in 102 years and their deepest run since the 2000-01 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, return to Madrid empty-handed. More than 12,000 of their supporters had travelled to Leipzig.
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