Oliver Glasner expressed immense pride after Crystal Palace’s historic 1-0 FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, celebrating the club’s first major trophy in its 119-year history. Eberechi Eze’s stunning 16th-minute volley proved to be the match-winner at Wembley, and Glasner paid tribute to his players and the fans for their unwavering belief.
Glasner spoke emotionally about what the victory meant to the club and supporters, especially after a rocky start to the season. “As football players or managers, our biggest achievement is to give the fans a moment for their lives. We had a difficult start – not winning any of the first eight league games – but in hard moments you need someone who hugs you, not kicks you. This win is for the fans. The connection between the players and the supporters will last forever.”
He compared the FA Cup win to his previous success in Europe, leading Eintracht Frankfurt to a Europa League title in 2022. While finding direct comparisons difficult, he highlighted the unexpected nature of both triumphs and the immense effort required. “No one expected Palace or Frankfurt to win. I still can’t believe it. We had to defend so much. The spirit and togetherness on the pitch were amazing.”
Palace held firm during a tense second half and over 10 minutes of added time, relying on exceptional defensive commitment and key saves from goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Glasner praised his players’ mentality and resilience. “If you play this game 10 times, we win it once and that happened today. We scored with our first real chance and then gave everything to hold on. We defended with every part of our bodies. The goalkeeper was fantastic, and the team showed a great mentality. I’m really proud of them and the coaching staff.”
The result was not without controversy. Henderson, who turned away a 36th-minute penalty from Omar Marmoush, might have been sent off earlier for handling the ball outside the box as Erling Haaland bore down on goal. Despite the VAR team not recommending a review, the incident raised questions. Glasner admitted he was baffled in the moment, saying, “I thought: ‘Why did you not kick it?’”
After the match, Henderson dedicated the win to his late father, Dougie, revealing that he had drawn strength from the memory throughout the game. “I lost my dad at the start of the season, but he was with me today. Every kick of the game, I felt him with me. This win is for him.”
Henderson also expressed surprise that Haaland didn’t take the penalty himself. “I expected him to step up. But when Marmoush took the ball, I knew which way he was going. I was confident I’d save it.”
City manager Pep Guardiola declined to be drawn into the controversy over the potential red card or Marmoush’s penalty miss. He also brushed aside any suggestion that Palace’s time-wasting contributed to the loss. “They gave nine or ten minutes of extra time. We didn’t lose because of time-wasting. We couldn’t score, and they defended very well.”
Despite the defeat, Guardiola congratulated Palace, acknowledging their defensive discipline and commitment. Meanwhile, Glasner allowed his players to enjoy the moment fully, cancelling training for Sunday and joking they wanted Monday off too.
