Crystal Palace laboured to a 0-0 draw at home to AEK Larnaca in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League 2025-26 last-16 tie on Thursday.
Palace created a glut of chances on a wet and windy night at Selhurst Park but failed to score against its Cypriot opponent for the second time this season, having lost 1-0 to Larnaca in the league phase.
French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta came on as a late substitute for his first Palace appearance since January 25 after a move to AC Milan collapsed due to concerns over a knee injury.
Oliver Glasner’s side will go to Cyprus next week seeking to keep alive its first full venture into European football.
“It was not a top, top performance, but it was OK. I think we had enough chances to win the game,” Glasner told TNT Sports.
“We knew that it’s not so easy to create chances and score goals. It was their (Larnaca’s) seventh game now in the Conference League, and they just conceded one. We had opportunities to score. But also credit to the keeper, especially in the first half, two big saves,” he added.
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Should Palace get through, it could meet two-time runner-up Fiorentina in the quarterfinals. The Italians edged past Rakow Czestochowa of Poland 2-1 in Florence thanks to a stoppage-time penalty.
Strasbourg, which finished top in the league phase, maintained its unbeaten record in Europe this season with a 2-1 win away to Croatian side Rijeka.
Former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott scored both goals for AZ Alkmaar in a 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague, while Spain’s Rayo Vallecano won 3-1 away to Turkish team Samsunspor.
AEK Athens is on course for the quarterfinals after a 4-0 win against Slovenian side Celje, while Shakhtar Donetsk won 3-1 at Lech Poznan. Bundesliga club Mainz drew 0-0 at Czech side Sigma Olomouc.
Published on Mar 13, 2026
