Glasner Urges Crystal Palace Players To Maintain Composure In FA Cup Final Against Manchester City

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Oliver Glasner has urged Crystal Palace to remain composed in their FA Cup final against Manchester City, drawing parallels with Brazil's emotional downfall in the 2014 World Cup. Palace, having previously lost finals to Manchester United in 1990 and 2016, face a formidable City team at Wembley. Despite this, Glasner emphasised the importance of staying calm under pressure.

The Eagles have had an impressive FA Cup run, defeating Fulham and Aston Villa to reach the final. However, they face a tough challenge against Pep Guardiola's side. Palace have not beaten City in their last seven encounters since a Premier League win in October 2021. Yet, they have shown resilience in the cup, conceding only once while scoring three goals in each of their last three matches.

Glasner highlighted the significance of maintaining focus, referencing Brazil's 7-1 loss to Germany as a cautionary tale. "Yes, this would be reward for an outstanding FA Cup journey, but I don't really think about the trophy," he stated. He recalled how Brazilian players were overwhelmed by emotions during their national anthem before their semi-final defeat.

Despite being underdogs with a 16-point gap from City in the league standings, Palace approach the match with confidence. Their recent victory over Tottenham equalled their highest Premier League points tally of 49 with two games left. Glasner mentioned that their preparation mirrored that of a typical Premier League game.

"Our preparation was more or less the same as for a Premier League game," Glasner explained. The focus was primarily on their own strategy rather than solely analysing City. This approach has instilled confidence within the squad as they anticipate the final showdown.

Squad Readiness and Historical Context

Glasner confirmed that his squad is fully fit for selection, including midfielder Adam Wharton who returns after missing the Spurs match. Historically, City have dominated recent FA Cup meetings against Palace with an aggregate score of 18-4 over three matches. The last encounter saw City win 3-0 at Selhurst Park during the fourth round of the 2016-17 season.

The manager stressed that there should be no pressure to secure silverware since it would be unprecedented for Crystal Palace. "We shouldn't feel pressure to bring silverware to Crystal Palace because this has never happened in the club's history," he remarked.

The anticipation builds as Crystal Palace prepare for what could be a historic moment at Wembley Stadium against Manchester City.