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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Arthur Ferridge

Crystal Palace confirm surprise Conference League title parade postponement as statement issued

Crystal Palace have no imminent plans to hold a parade celebrating their Conference League title.

The Eagles beat Rayo Vallecano in Wednesday’s final thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second-half decider, triggering raucous scenes in southeast London as the title was celebrated by some 10,000 fans watching on from Selhurst Park.

It is the club’s third major trophy in just over a year, following last May’s FA Cup and August’s Community Shield.

The FA Cup title, the first major honour in Crystal Palace’s history, was celebrated with a parade through the streets of Selhurst and an afternoon of festivities at the stadium, but no such plans have been laid to celebrate the Eagles’ maiden European triumph.

This is due to the fact that several members of the squad have already had to jet off to join up with their national teams ahead of this summer’s World Cup, which kicks off in just over two weeks.

A club spokesperson told News Shopper: “Unfortunately, because of World Cup commitments, some of the players are going straight to international camps.

“The club is hoping to do something later in the summer instead.”

Crystal Palace celebrated their FA Cup title in style, but the Conference League will not get the same treatment (Getty Images)
Crystal Palace celebrated their FA Cup title in style, but the Conference League will not get the same treatment (Getty Images)

Any parade, then, will not be likely to take place until after the World Cup final on July 19.

Among the World Cup hopefuls in the Palace squad are captain Dean Henderson and Japan’s Daichi Kamada. France, meanwhile, have called up both Mateta and Maxence Lacroix, and the prolific Ismaila Sarr will lead the line for Senegal. Midfielder Adam Wharton was subject to a shock snub by England boss Thomas Tuchel.

It remains to be seen whether any title celebrations this summer will involve Oliver Glasner. The Austrian called time on his association with Crystal Palace following the Conference League final, with his own future plans not yet confirmed.

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