Crystal Palace Season Preview 2025-26: Eagles eye Europe and uncharted territory amid backdrop of UEFA fallout

Your Crystal Palace 2025-26 Season Preview is here: Will the Eagles' European travels impact Premier League matters closer to home?

FourFourTwo's Crystal Palace Season Preview

FFT's view

The Plan

Crystal Palace are still on cloud nine after ending 119 years with no major trophy. Oliver Glasner, the mastermind of that FA Cup win, may never have to buy a pint of Palace Ale at the Glaziers Lounge again – yet the Austrian has already refocused on the next target. Palace have never finished above 10th in the Premier League era – having been three points off 9th last term, that feels doable.

The futures of Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi looked uncertain as soon as last season finished, but the approach is not: Palace will play 3-4-2-1 with an emphasis on pressing, penetrative passing and quick-fire counters. Oh, and a taste for the cups.

The Coach

Only in the job for 18 months, Oliver Glasner is already the Eagles’ most popular boss since Steve Coppell. The Austrian’s high-tempo, hard-running style has made Palace one of the league’s most awkward foes, and fans have fallen for his positivity. It’s the perfect fit.

Key Player

“If you define a profile who fits the Premier League, it’s Daniel Munoz,” Glasner said last term. The Colombian is more wing than back, his energy covering the right flank alone. He leads Palace’s press and no top-flight player wins more tackles. The system can’t work without him.

Lesson From Last Year

One: start the season faster. Palace hit the ground trudging in 2024-25 as Glasner’s side sat 19th near the end of November, having won just one of their first 13 league fixtures. Two: start individual matches faster.

Only the top four had a stronger second-half record than Palace last season, and only five sides bettered their return of 13 wins from 20 matches in which they led, so the Eagles must try to impose themselves on games from the get-go rather than easing their way in. A full pre-season for Ismaila Sarr should help: arriving on August 1, he proved a brilliant foil to Jean-Philippe Mateta, with seven goals and three assists in his final 16 games in all competitions.

The Mood

Cautious excitement. European football is the stuff of dreams, and with Glasner, who won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, fans believe Palace could make inroads – if UEFA let them. At the time of writing, Lyon’s situation meant it was still not known as to whether Palace would be allowed to compete in the Europa League, even with New York Jets owner Woody Johnson’s £190m buyout of fellow American John Textor, who’s held stakes in both clubs.

The One To Watch

The inventive Daichi Kamada won over doubters after a difficult start – though Glasner never lost faith in his former Frankfurt midfielder.

Most Likely To...

Finish lower mid-table. The Eagles are certainly extremely consistent: they’ve ended each of the past 12 campaigns between 10th and 15th. It’s the club’s safe space.

Least Likely To...

Get all their business done early. Deadline day is seldom slow at Selhurst Park, with Palace fond of haggling until the 11th hour. And sporting director Dougie Freedman has departed for Saudi Arabia.

FFT Verdict

11TH Uncertainty over star men and their own future may slow Palace’s top-half bid, impressive as they are.

The Number Cruncher

The Fan View

After FA Cup euphoria at Wembley back in May, we asked Jack Pierce whether it can get any better for the boys from South London...

Last season was amazing – memories made for life. I’m on my 12th re-watch of the FA Cup final.

I won’t be happy unless I get to experience at least one away trip in European competition.

Look out for Hindolo Mustapha, who ended last season in fine form for our U21s and has now joined the senior squad.

The opposition player I’d love here is Iliman Ndiaye. He’s very exciting, he would suit our system, and the club liked him before his Everton move.

The opposition player who grinds my gears is James Maddison. He does an effective man-marking job on the referee.

The active player I’d love to have back is Michael Olise. I’ve not seen better.

The pantomime villain will be our own Jefferson Lerma, often the target of boos from home sections when we travel, which only improves his game.

The thing my club really gets right is community engagement. The Palace for Life Foundation does fine work in South London.

The one change I’d make would be to play the theme to The Long Good Friday on matchdays again. Vintage Selhurst.

A social media account to follow is @CFO4TAG – The Beak of Beak Street. Takes so dry, you have to check they’re satirical.

I’m most looking forward to visiting The Amex in February. We’ll be singing about the cup final. A lot.

Fans think our gaffer is our best ever. Simple.

If he left, he should be replaced by Sir Gareth…

We’ll finish 10th to 12th.

This preview originally appeared in FourFourTwo's Season Preview issue which went on sale in July, available here with free delivery