When Crystal Palace won the FA Cup last year and dreamt of a European adventure, this was not what they had in mind. Not just because this is not the competition they feel so strongly they should be playing in, but because they would have expected some magical European nights at Selhurst Park.
Those have not really materialised yet.
That promise of something better was dashed first by the decision to deny them entry to the Europa League last summer for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, and subsequently by their team’s frustrating inability to conquer the low block they have come up against on multiple occasions in the third-tier Conference League.
They are favourites to win the competition, a tag that may hang round their neck as a millstone, bringing unwanted and unnecessary pressure.
Manager Oliver Glasner has repeatedly questioned its validity given his side’s inexperience playing in Europe, believing that know-how is critical to navigating what is a difficult tournament — even if talent, stature and the financial might of the Premier League should be enough to see them through.
But too often in this competition this season, Palace have found life difficult.
In the first leg of their round of 16 tie against Cypriot club AEK Larnaca, the weather reflected the mood inside Selhurst Park.
The rain whipped into Palace supporters, who witnessed lumbered passing, slow movement of the ball and wasted chances from their side.
Oliver Glasner said Larnaca were an ‘experienced team’ who made life difficult for his side (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Glasner’s team struggled against Larnaca’s low block and a resolute defence once again in a competition where they have a target on their back. Their superior squad often means they face sides who sit back to mitigate having less technical players.
First, it was Norwegian side Fredrikstad in the play-off game, then it was Larnaca in the league phase. They were underwhelming against Finnish outfit KuPS, too, regardless of a completely changed starting XI. A win against AZ Alkmaar in November was the exception, but last month’s away leg against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Zrinjski Mostar in the previous round before this one was a struggle. It has been a chastening experience more often than anyone would have expected.
This draw with Larnaca represented another of those occasions, even if there were some more encouraging signs. As Glasner has referenced multiple times, they only conceded one goal in the league phase. But this almost mirrored Palace’s 1-0 defeat in the previous match between the two sides.
That night, Palace had 68 per cent possession, managed 15 shots with just one on target and produced an expected goals (xG) total of 1.76, yet failed to score.
This time it was 71 per cent possession with 13 shots, four of which were on target, and an xG of 1.72. Swap Jean-Philippe Mateta’s inability to convert with Evann Guessand shooting at Zlatan Alomerovic from close range and Tyrick Mitchell being denied by the Larnaca goalkeeper and this was far too close a resemblance to that game in October — minus any Jaydee Canvot error.
They did not offer many opportunities for Larnaca to hit them on the break, and the only two attacking occasions the away side developed in the Palace half were sufficiently well defended.
“They are such an experienced team,” Glasner said in his post-match press conference. “When you are experienced, you read and anticipate very well, and this is what they were doing. When we broke the line, we were just not accurate enough or clinical enough.
“In the first leg especially, it was exactly how we expected it, not to give them a transition because the worst thing would be a result like in the first game. So therefore it was OK, it was not our top, top performance. Sometimes the wind didn’t make it easy for both teams.”
Crystal Palace were frustrated by Larnaca’s defence (Steve Bardens – AMA/Getty Images)
Yet for all the understandable frustration, albeit seemingly not from Glasner, this was a better result than last time out.
Palace go into the second leg of the tie knowing their opponents will still have to find a way past them. Larnaca produced just 0.23xG, creating no clear chances to score and the Premier League side were rarely troubled — just as in the previous encounter, when that Canvot error decided the game.
At home and on the continent, it has been a familiar story of Palace struggling to create chances and wasting them when they have come. The jadedness that has started to accompany these games against supposedly lesser opponents is apparent in the failure to sell out the stadium and the absence of any real atmosphere.
Those away games in Lublin, Poland, against Dynamo Kyiv and in Dublin against Shelbourne have given fans some special moments which will not be forgotten. But, in the midst of games which have become a slog back in south London, those memories feel distant.
If Palace do progress to the quarter-finals and find a way to reach and win the final in Leipzig on May 27, the manner in which victory came will be forgotten. Functionality trumps aesthetics, although they are not mutually exclusive.
The tie is finely poised — but ignore the underwhelming performances and lack of excitement. The overall objective of winning the Conference League is still within Palace’s grasp.
That they go to Cyprus not behind is the most important thing.