Crystal Palace host Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park on Thursday, looking to secure their first-ever major European final berth.
The Eagles hold a commanding aggregate lead following a clinical 3–1 victory in the first leg in Poland. Ismaïla Sarr opened the scoring after just 21 seconds, recording the fastest goal in Conference League history.
Oliver Glasner significantly rotated his squad for the weekend loss at Bournemouth to ensure his stars are fresh. Shakhtar arrive in London needing a historic first win on English soil to overturn the two-goal deficit. The Ukrainian champions beat Dynamo Kyiv 2–1 on Sunday to nearly seal their domestic league title.
Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk – Match preview and team news
- Competition: UEFA Conference League
- Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Selhurst Park
- Referee: Alejandro Hernández
- VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande
- Last Meeting: Shakhtar Donetsk 1–3 Crystal Palace, 30 April 2026, Conference League
Team news
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner is hopeful that Borna Sosa and Will Hughes can return to the matchday squad. Sosa missed the weekend trip with a minor knock, while Hughes was sidelined through illness. Evann Guessand could also complete his comeback from a knee problem for this crucial decider. However, Eddie Nketiah is ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Shakhtar Donetsk
The Pitmen travel to London with significant defensive shortages to manage. Yukhym Konoplya is out for the rest of the campaign, and Brazilian defender Marlon remains a major doubt. Arda Turan will rely on Oleh Ocheretko, who scored their solitary goal in the first leg.
Form
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have effectively made the Conference League their main focus towards the end of the season. They remain unbeaten in their last seven home fixtures at Selhurst Park across all competitions. The Eagles have also kept clean sheets in each of their last three European home games. They have lost only three of their 15 Conference League matches this season.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar have never won in England, where their record stands at two draws and eight defeats. However, they remain undefeated in five away games during this Conference League campaign. The Pitmen have scored two or more goals in every away outing in the competition this term. They have failed to score in six of their last nine matches against English teams.
Predicted lineups
Crystal Palace Predicted XI: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Muñoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta
Shakhtar Donetsk Predicted XI: Riznyk; Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Henrique; Ocheretko; Santana, Pedrinho, Gomes, Newertton; Elias
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk?
The match on Thursday, 7th May 2026, can be watched live in the UK on TNT Sports 2. Coverage begins at 19:30 BST ahead of the 20:00 kick-off. Subscribers can also stream the action via the HBO Max app or website.
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