Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner addressed the media ahead of Thursday’s Conference League round of 16 first leg against AEK Larnaca, taking place at Selhurst Park at 20:00 GMT.
Here are the main points from his press conference:
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Glasner announced that Jean-Phillipe Mateta returned to training on Monday and is included in the squad for Thursday’s match, marking his first appearance since his proposed transfer to AC Milan fell through on Deadline Day.
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Maxence Lacroix will also be available for selection, while Jefferson Lerma, who was rested during last week’s victory against Tottenham, is fit to play.
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Daniel Munoz will not participate in the match but is “working very hard with our medical team to be ready for the Leeds game.” Glasner confirmed that all other players are “in good shape and eager for tomorrow’s match.”
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On whether Mateta is fit to start, Glasner stated: “No. He hasn’t trained on the pitch for five or six weeks, and he’s just back after three days. But it’s great to have him back, as he always creates chances and scores goals.”
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Reflecting on his revamped attacking lineup, which includes January signings Brennan Johnson, Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Evann Guessand, Glasner commented: “We aimed to bolster our attack during the winter transfer window because we were often short on numbers. I believe the club did an excellent job. The new players are integrating well, and it’s easy because our existing players are great, too. We need these options, and it’s beneficial to have them.”
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Discussing the challenge presented by Larnaca, who recently appointed Javi Rozada as their new manager, Glasner said: “It adds another level of difficulty. Although we’ve previously analyzed his former teams, we don’t know how he might change things. They also modified their formation in our last meeting. While their possession game remains, I hold great respect for them as they only conceded one goal in the group stage, showcasing their defensive consistency. Our task is to create chances and convert them into goals.”
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On what Palace can learn from their previous league encounter, which ended in a 1-0 defeat to AEK, Glasner said: “Whenever we watch a match back, we look for areas to exploit and emphasize this to our players. At the same time, they need the freedom to be creative in attack. It’s vital to show them where to find space, which can be challenging against a deep block. We’ve proven we can break such defenses, as we did against Tottenham.”
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