Crystal Palace make their European debut on Thursday night, hosting Fredrikstad in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff round.The Eagles are entering continental competition for ...
Crystal Palace make their European debut on Thursday night, hosting Fredrikstad in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff round.
The Eagles are entering continental competition for the first time in their history and will be determined to secure a commanding lead at Selhurst Park against their Norwegian opponents.
Palace go into the tie buoyed by their recent Community Shield triumph and an unbeaten start to the season. In contrast, Fredrikstad are struggling for form and arrive in London hoping to stay competitive ahead of the return leg.
The match marks a historic moment for the home side, though the Eagles find themselves demoted from the Europa League in this competition due to an administrative issue, despite their FA Cup victory last season.
Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 21st August 2025
- Kick-off: 8pm BST
- Venue: Selhurst Park, London
- Last Meeting: N/A
Team News
Crystal Palace
Eberechi Eze is set to be included in the squad despite having agreed a move to Arsenal. The England international is due to undergo a medical with the Gunners on Friday and looks likelt to play his last game in a Palace shirt.
Eze’s departure is a blow for Glasner, who is already contending with a significant injury list that includes Cheick Doucouré, Daichi Kamada, and Eddie Nketiah. With one eye on Sunday’s league fixture, the manager may hand starts to summer signing Borna Sosa and youngster Romain Esse.
Fredrikstad
The visitors will look to top scorer Emil Holten (six goals) to provide a cutting edge, with the striker expected to return to the starting lineup after featuring from the bench in their last European outing. He will likely partner with the team’s main creative threat, Jóannes Bjartalíð, up front.
Behind them, manager Andreas Hagen is expected to name his preferred midfield three of Oskar Ohlenschlaeger, Leonard Owusu, and Patrick Metcalfe, flanked by wing-backs Stian Molde and Simen Rafn. Their main fitness concern is in goal, where Martin Børsheim will deputise for the injured Valdemar Birksø.
Form
Crystal Palace
Palace have made an impressive start to the new season. They remain unbeaten in their last 10 competitive matches, a run which includes a penalty shootout victory over Liverpool to lift the Community Shield and a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Chelsea in their league opener. Glasner’s side have blended defensive solidity with attacking flair.
Fredrikstad
In stark contrast, Fredrikstad are in a dreadful run of form, having won just two of their last 14 matches. Their European journey began with a 5-1 aggregate thrashing by Midtjylland in Europa League qualifying. Currently eighth in their domestic league, the Norwegian Cup winners have failed to win any of their last seven away games and face a daunting task at Selhurst Park.
Predicted Lineups
Crystal Palace:: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi; Muñoz, Wharton, Hughes, Sosa; Sarr, Esse; Mateta.
Fredrikstad: Børsheim; Woledzi, Fredriksen, Eid; Rafn, Owusu, Metcalfe, Ohlenschlaeger, Molde; Bjartalíð, Holten.
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK. Pre-match coverage is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm BST, and subscribers can also stream the action live via the discovery+ app.
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Category: General Sports
