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Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Conference League round of 16 first leg against Cypriot side AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park (20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
- Glasner confirmed Jean-Phillipe Mateta returned to training on Monday and will be in the squad for Thursday's game for the first time since his prospective Deadline Day move to AC Milan collapsed.
- Maxence Lacroix is also available while Jefferson Lerma was rested in last week's win at Tottenham and “is fine”.
- Daniel Munoz will miss the game but is "working very hard together with our medical staff to be available for the Leeds game" and "all else are fine and in a good shape and looking forward to tomorrow's game".
- Is Mateta fit to start?: "No. He didn't train for five or six weeks on the pitch, and he's now back for three days, so no chance. But, it's good to have him back. He showed in training he's always able to create chances, score goals, and that's why it's good to have him back."
- On his new-look attack, featuring January additions Brennan Johnson, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand: "That was the target of the winter transfer window: to strengthen our attack, because we were often short of numbers, and I think the club did a great job regarding the strengthening our attack. The new players are really getting integrated very well. It's not one-way, it's two-ways, but it's quite easy because the players who are here are great lads, and so are the new ones as well, so it's maybe easier. We need all these options, and it's good to have them."
- On the challenge posed by Larnaca, who have appointed Javi Rozada as their new manager this week: "Makes it more challenging I would say. We already watched his former team but we don't know how much he is going to change. On the other side they also changed their formation when they played us [earlier in the competition]. In possession the way they play is the same. I have huge respect for them, they just conceded one goal in the group stage so they are very consistent in their defence. It's for us to create chances and score goals."
- What can Palace learn from the league phase meeting, which finished 1-0 to AEK: "When we have the opportunity to watch a game back, we always try to learn from it and try to find some areas where we can exploit. That is what we are telling the players, but to also be creative and free in attack. It's about showing them where they can find space which is not easy when they are playing in a very deep block. We showed we can break down a deep block against Tottenham."
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