Oliver Glasner took to the podium at Selhurst Park one last time following his final home game as Crystal Palace boss.
Palace lost 2-1 to Arsenal, who were crowned Premier League champions on Sunday.
However, the Eagles have much bigger fish to fry with the UEFA Conference League final to come, against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday in Leipzig.
Here’s what Glasner had to say.
What were your reflections on the afternoon?
“Regarding football, I don’t think it was our best match — especially defensively. The first half was also not [good] attacking-wise. Saturday evening, at 8 o’clock, I changed the starting line-up one last time.
“What defines this group is that they never give up. When we were 2-0 down, we scored and almost got the equaliser. The spirit and belief was great. But we definitely have to play better, and I know we will, on Wednesday.”
What were your emotions saying goodbye to Selhurst Park?
“It’s strange because it doesn’t feel like the last game. I’m still so excited and full of adrenaline for Wednesday.
“When I now think back about arriving more than two years ago with a win against Burnley, when we were five points away from the relegation zone, there was not a lot of belief and many injured players.
We've got super Oli Glasner 🎶 pic.twitter.com/TDXk3WaeSI
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 24, 2026
“When I think back on how the development has been in more than two years, I can just say thank you to every single player and member of staff who contributed, and, of course, to our fans, who always supported and believed in us. You could see that everything is possible.”
How is Adam Wharton?
“It’s just a bit sore. He gives positive signals. I always know when you're full of adrenaline, it doesn’t feel like this. The real answer will be on Monday, after a night’s sleep. Hopefully, it’s not too bad and he’s available for Wednesday.”
What did you make of Rio Cardines’ Premier League debut?
“He showed what he is capable of in some moments. I told him he could play with more confidence and more risk. He defended really well against Madueke, which is not so easy.
A special moment for Rio Cardines 😌 pic.twitter.com/AK35vAwWZp
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 25, 2026
“He had a few good moments in attack. I see him in training and what he can do, so I think it was a good debut. He has a lot of potential and now it is for him to develop game by game and week by week.”
Steve Parish handed you a gift at full time. What was it and do you hope to give the club another gift on Wednesday night?
“It was a small FA Cup trophy. The other gift I haven’t seen yet is just in the bag — I will have a look at it later. But you know me, everything is a great form of appreciation. “But the most important memories stay here,” Glasner taps his head.
“That’s more important than everything else. Meeting so many people and how many people who have hugged me, these are the emotions and feelings I will definitely miss and these will be the moments I always remember.
“When I sum it up, it’s not so important what people think of you when you come, it’s more important what people think when you leave. For all of us, it’s been two amazing years of our lives, but for me the best day is still to come.”
What were your initial impressions of Crystal Palace and how much has the club changed since?
“The first impression was great from the first day. But, of course, in the locker room, there were so many injured players and there was more doubts than belief — everywhere within and around the club. The biggest goal was to change this.
“With doubts, you can’t be successful — the players nor the club. It was really about changing the atmosphere in the dressing room. That was the most important thing because I couldn’t expect people to believe in us if we didn’t believe in ourselves.
“So number one was to create a belief that we can play successful football as a group and then we know that if we believe in ourselves, then the fans and everybody could start believing in us.
“We started this from day one. The first win against Burnley helped. Since then, it’s just an amazing story.”
Was changing the mentality of the club your biggest achievement?
“Yes. The biggest goal I always have is to create an environment where everybody works hard and invests to be successful, because then you create belief. There is no button you can press to get everyone believing — it’s a lot of hard work.
“I tell the players that if you invest in something, you always get something back. I know I’m demanding a lot from the players in every single training session. It’s about always setting a very high standard and not dropping it.
“We are responsible for the standard we define and we are responsible for creating and keeping the standards. It’s not keeping the standards and then it’s okay [you have to raise them].
“I still feel the Premier League season was maximum okay. We can say we played 60 games and never played so many, plus some injuries. You can always find excuses, but winners never have excuses.
“Winners have challenges they overcome and learn from. If the club and players take their experiences and learn from this season, then hopefully they will play European football next year as well and play an even better Premier League season than this year.
What does the preparation for Leipzig look like?
“We started preparing for Rayo Vallecano. We didn’t show the players one clip of Arsenal, we just analysed Vallecano with the players.
“We showed them how they press, what we need in possession, how we want to put pressure on them and how they’re going to play. In the sessions in the build-up to Arsenal, we planned for Vallecano.
“Now it’s just getting the fine-tuning, preparing set plays and getting the players fresh. We can’t change anything, we don’t want to change anything and we won’t change anything.
“Now it’s fitting this together. What are Rayo Vallecano’s strengths and how can we eliminate this? How can we use their weaknesses that will fit with our strengths? Now it’s fine-tuning and then we will go and it’s a final where everything is possible.”
Will you have many team meetings before the final?
“We already had two longer meetings last week about Vallecano. I’ll maybe just sharpen it and that’s it.”
What did you speak to Mikel Arteta about on the touchline?
“Arsenal deserve the title, Mikel deserves it. They constantly kept their pathway. In the first season, they didn’t do so well, but they kept believing in Mikel’s ideas and the way he wants to play.
“After five years, they get their rewards. After ending the season three times in a row in second place, they did the fine-tuning to win the trophy and they got the reward for that and deserve the reward.
“It’s strange because we played last year at Liverpool when they were crowned champions on the final day. This year, it was even more strange because we play a European final on Wednesday and they play the Champions League final on Saturday.
“We wished each other the best for the European finals and it could be all three European winners from the Premier League. It’s our job to get the second one to England on Wednesday and Arsenal’s job to get the third back to England on Saturday.”
Thoughts on Crystal Palace developing Eberechi Eze, now a Premier League winner?
“I can just confer huge credit and compliments to the scouting department here at Crystal Palace. There is one player [Michael Olise] winning the double in Germany and being announced Player of the Season in the German Bundesliga.
“Having another here in Eberechi Eze winning the Premier League. Another one [Marc Guehi] won the FA Cup. Three players who were at Crystal Palace when I arrived have already won four trophies this year. It shows what a great job the scouting department have done.”
Any consideration about your next job?
“I already rejected many offers. I’m not open for talks. Now I want and I feel responsible to be 100% focused on Crystal Palace as my job is not done. The job is not done.
“I have 100% commitment until Wednesday evening. Let’s say Thursday morning, because party afterwards, where I’ll give 100% commitment. Then I will go home — hopefully the weather stays like this — and have a rest on my terrace and enjoy my family.
“When you have this schedule, it’s about giving them time back. This is what they deserve and what I deserve as well. Then, let’s see what the future holds.
“I could have already signed now for other teams and could have done the same after leaving Frankfurt. It’s not for now, really. I have no time or passion right now to think about the future because it’s about finding the right project and right club.
“I am really pleased I waited until Crystal Palace was more or less ready because I thought it was a great fit for the club and Oliver Glasner. I’ve had more than two fantastic years of my life, not just in football. That’s what it is all about. I think I helped develop and progress Crystal Palace, and that is what it is all about.”
What would your advice be to the football club to continue developing?
“It’s all about consistency. Crystal Palace is on a top pathway. I know I’m always pushing for more and nobody can really rest around me because I am so driven and want to infect everyone around me to be that driven and hungry to succeed and be addicted to success.
“It’s a huge achievement for Crystal Palace and for Steve Parish. He took the club over when the club were in administration, got them promoted and now has his 15th consecutive year in the Premier League, with one of the smallest stadiums but with one of the loudest and best atmospheres, always doing such a great job, which is a huge credit to him and all the other owners who are looking to find the right balance.
“On the other side, you see how competitive the Premier League is, this is what has changed over the past three to five years. It looks like the gap between the teams at the top and middle of the league is getting closer and closer and the midtable teams, the range spreads out.
“West Ham got relegated with 39 points and 53 points was enough to qualify for Europe, so that means you have 14 points between relegation and European places.
"I think there were times when there were 40 points between and this shows the competitiveness of the Premier League, the quality of the players who are in the league and the quality of the managers and the ambition of all the owners who are investing a lot.
“Therefore, it’s like every environment, either you keep going or you have the moment where you drop out. I know Steve quite well now and he will always do what is necessary to stay in the league.
“He has great support from all the other shareholders. The team is in good shape with a good mix and balance between young and experienced. I think there will be a little bit of change again.
“Also, it’s challenging having 12 players going to the World Cup, which means a very short pre-season.
“Many challenges, but I can definitely promise the new manager, whoever he will be, will find a fantastic group of players, fantastic characters who are really working very hard to succeed and this is the foundation of every success.”
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