Glasner Praises Palace Performance in Fiorentina Romp: A Promising Beginning

Palace asserted their dominance in the quarter-final with a convincing 3-0 win in the first leg at Selhurst Park.

Jean-Philippe Mateta opened the scoring with his first goal since New Year’s Day, converting a penalty in the first half. Tyrick Mitchell then extended the lead after Mateta’s initial shot was saved, and Ismaila Sarr rounded off the scoring with a late strike for a comprehensive win.

“What mattered most for me was the performance today,” Glasner noted. “Especially during the first half and in the last 20 to 25 minutes.”

“It was an exceptional display, full of energy, with players executing our game plan well by applying pressure and consistently attacking the box, particularly with balls played in behind. The second goal exemplified that, brilliantly set up by Dani Munoz from Daichi (Kamada)’s pass.”

“We were aware of how compact Fiorentina could be, but our ability to exploit spaces behind their defence led to numerous chances, which was fantastic to witness.

“However, we also recognised how dangerous Fiorentina can be during spells of play, particularly in the 15 to 20 minutes following half-time, where we were fortunate to have the crossbar and Dean Henderson to thank for keeping us ahead.

“Fiorentina came out more aggressively in the second half, and we lost possession too quickly at times. Yet overall, the energy at Selhurst today, from our fans and the team alike, was tremendous. I’m immensely pleased with what I witnessed on the pitch.

“We’ve taken the first step, but it’s crucial that we solidify our advantage in Florence next week.”

He added: “We must respect that we are up against a very strong Italian side, who might enjoy periods of momentum.”

“Nevertheless, we remained composed and were confident that we could regain control of the match, which we successfully did.”

“In the end, we were close to adding a fourth goal – it was truly a fantastic performance.”