Richards already eyeing Conference League final after Palace cruise past Fiorentina

Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards says the Eagles are targeting a place in the Conference League final after their dominant win over Fiorentina.

Oliver Glasner’s side took control of their quarter-final tie with the Serie A side, following a 3-0 victory in the first leg at Selhurst Park.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty and a Tyrick Mitchell strike gave Palace a two-goal lead inside 31 minutes, while Ismaila Sarr added a potentially crucial third goal in the dying moments.

The Eagles lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield last year, and that has made Richards and his team-mates hungry for more silverware in this competition.

“Of course, we want to get to the final,” he told TNT Sports.

“With the trophies we won last season, the players have confidence. We want to win trophies at this club.

“But we understand that there is another leg to play, and we have to get the job done.

“Whenever you keep a clean sheet, it helps everyone. The guys up top always help out the team and to get three goals is great. We could have scored more.

“There were a lot of tired legs out there, and it worked out towards the end.

“It’s fun in the dressing room right now. [Glasner] has given us confidence since he came into the club.”

A brilliant evening’s workpic.twitter.com/MVhuKOpBbX

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 9, 2026

Glasner, meanwhile, was pleased by the way his players overcame the challenges they faced against their Italian opponents.

“We knew they are very compact, but we were going in behind and creating so many chances, which was great to see,” he said.

“[But in the second half] we lost the ball too easily and quickly. When you are 2-0 up, you should get more control. We had four or five easy ball losses and that gave the momentum to Fiorentina.

“I was pleased to see we didn’t get frustrated against a very good team from Italy, kept our heads up and knew we could get the momentum back again.

“In the end, we were really close to scoring the fourth goal, and it was a great performance.”

Fiorentina were unable to find the net from their eight attempts on goal, and David de Gea was left to rue La Viola’s profligacy.

“The third goal hurts,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “To concede at the last minute on a cross, it was too easy for them. But this is football, you have to be concentrated for 95 minutes.

“It looks difficult, but not impossible. We have got to do something amazing, win 3-0, and we have it all to do at the Franchi.

“I think if we had converted one of our chances, everything would have changed. We didn’t and, instead, we conceded a third.”