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LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 09: David De Gea of ACF Fiorentina looks on as ticker tape is seen around him during the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Leg One match between Crystal Palace FC and ACF Fiorentina at Selhurst Park on April 09, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Fiorentina have a mountain to climb after losing 3-0 away to Crystal Palace in the first leg of the Conference League quarter-final.
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The Viola were hoping to reach their fourth consecutive Conference League semi-final, but also knew the focus was on avoiding Serie A relegation. Moise Kean, Fabiano Parisi, Manor Solomon, Niccolò Fortini and Tariq Lamptey didn’t make the trip.
Jorgen Strand Larsen was suspended, with Chris Richards and Caleb Kporha injured, so Palace gave Jean-Philippe Mateta his first start since January 25 after a failed medical ruined his move to Milan.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Mateta couldn’t keep his header on target from six yards on a Daniel Munoz cross, while Robin Gosens shinned a volley wide from a promising position.
Evann Guessand was inches away from scoring when he scuffed a volley inches wide of the far post from 12 yards.
Guessand got into the box again and had already taken the wayward shot before Dodo made contact with the clumsy sliding tackle, but the referee still awarded the penalty and VAR confirmed it.
Mateta sent David De Gea the wrong way to give Palace the lead.
There was a second goal when Munoz sprung the offside trap on a ball over the top to knock down the ball over the top, Mateta’s tap-in was parried by De Gea, who could do nothing on the Tyrick Mitchell follow-up.
The restart was delayed by several minutes when the Crystal Palace fans repeatedly threw rolls of paper at De Gea’s goal, forcing players to help stewards clean up the mess.
Fiorentina should’ve pulled one back when Dodo burst down the right and pulled back to find Giovanni Fabbian unmarked from 12 yards, but his first-time sweep only thumped the crossbar.
Former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada drilled just wide, while Roberto Piccoli sliding onto a Dodo assist forced a tricky save out of Dean Henderson.
Guessand went off injured and Piccoli failed to get a clean header to the Marin Pongracic cross, but it should’ve been 3-0 when Mateta steered a free header wide at the back post.
The third goal did arrive when Kamada’s cross found Ismaila Sarr for a free header at the back post, surprising Pietro Comuzzo.
Crystal Palace 3-0 Fiorentina
Mateta pen 24 (C), Mitchell 31 (C), Sarr 90 (C)
09-04-2026 20:00
1/4 Final
Selhurst Park StadiumCrystal PalaceFiorentina
Live3 – 0
Player statistic
| 21' | Dodô |
| Jean-Philippe Mateta | 24' |
| Tyrick Mitchell | 31' |
| 69' | Roberto Piccoli |
| Chris Richards | 76' |
| Ismaïla Sarr(Assist: Daichi Kamada) | 90' |
Crystal Palace
Fiorentina
Starting lineups
1
Dean Henderson
Goalkeeper
26
Chris Richards
Defender
2
Daniel Muñoz
Defender
23
Jaydee Canvot
Defender
5
Maxence Lacroix
Defender
3
Tyrick Mitchell
Defender
20
Adam Wharton
Midfielder
90′
18
Daichi Kamada
Midfielder
Evann Guessand
Attacker
65′
7
Ismaïla Sarr
Attacker
14
Jean-Philippe Mateta
Attacker
83′
43
David de Gea
Goalkeeper
2
Dodô
Defender
6
Luca Ranieri
Defender
5
Marin Pongracic
Defender
82′
27
Cher Ndour
Midfielder
80
Giovanni Fabbian
Midfielder
44
Nicolò Fagioli
Midfielder
90′
21
Robin Gosens
Midfielder
78′
10
Albert Gudmundsson
Attacker
90′
17
Jack Harrison
Attacker
77′
91
Roberto Piccoli
Attacker
Substitutes
17
Nathaniel Clyne
Defender
44
Walter Benítez
Goalkeeper
24
Borna Sosa
Defender
Brennan Johnson
Attacker
34
Chadi Riad
Defender
55
Justin Devenny
Midfielder
59
Rio Cardines
Defender
31
Remi Matthews
Goalkeeper
10
Yéremy Pino
Attacker
65′
8
Jefferson Lerma
Midfielder
83′
19
Will Hughes
Midfielder
90′
53
Oliver Christensen
Goalkeeper
60
Eddy Kouadio
Defender
50
Pietro Leonardelli
Goalkeeper
23
Eman Kospo
Defender
61
Riccardo Braschi
Attacker
64
Lapo Deli
Midfielder
22
Jacopo Fazzini
Midfielder
77′
62
Luis Balbo
Defender
78′
15
Pietro Comuzzo
Defender
82′
8
Rolando Mandragora
Midfielder
90′
69
Giorgio Puzzoli
Midfielder
90′
