Crystal Palace Appoints Pierre Sage To Chase European Success After Lens Triumph

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has outlined a clear ambition to add further European success at Selhurst Park, following confirmation of a three-year deal that places Sage in charge of a team prepared for Europa League football in the 2026-27 season.

Sage steps in after Oliver Glasner, who chose to leave at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, having guided Crystal Palace through the most successful spell in the club's history and delivered their first major trophies across England and Europe.

Under Glasner, Palace lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025 and later beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 to win the Conference League this year, a sequence that secured Europa League qualification and established new expectations around the club’s European potential.

Palace were due to play in the Europa League last season, but that place was reassigned to Nottingham Forest when Palace were expelled over a breach of multi-club ownership rules, a setback that adds extra motivation ahead of their confirmed 2026-27 group-stage campaign.

Drawing on recent experience with Lyon and Lens, Sage arrives with strong European background, having coached in continental competition with Lyon before a single season in charge of Lens, where Lens finished second in Ligue 1 and built a reputation for high-intensity football.

Sage reflected on that journey and the demands ahead with Palace, saying: "It's a positive pressure because when you win, you want to win more, Sage told Palace's website. In Europe, I played in the Europa League two years ago and it was really exciting. You have good games with a lot of intensity. If you give your best, like you did last year, you are able to do things that other people can't think about. With a good surprise, you can have a big party at the end of the season!"

The 47-year-old moved quickly to address Crystal Palace supporters, stressing a shared effort and the unique feel of Selhurst Park, with Sage keen to connect the recent history of trophy wins with a sustained identity on and off the pitch.

Asked to send a message to the fanbase, Sage said: "You can know that we will give our best for youand we are together. From my first steps in the stadium, I understand the atmosphere. We understand that good things happen here, historical things happen. That's why we have to continue in this way: because it's special to play here, and we want to be special."

Sage’s record with Lens adds to his appeal for Crystal Palace, as Lens not only finished runners-up in Ligue 1 under Sage but also captured the club’s first Coupe de France in 2025-26, beating Nice 3-1 in last month’s final to complete a domestic double push.

With Glasner’s trophy haul forming a demanding benchmark and Sage arriving with recent European and domestic success at Lens, Crystal Palace enter the 2026-27 season aiming to extend their run of historic achievements while adjusting to a new manager and a fresh Europa League stage.