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Apr 30, 2026
Analyzed by Glm 4.5 Flash

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace: Europa Conference League Semi-Final Preview

AI Summary
Crystal Palace faces Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final, with both teams seeking European glory. The Ukrainian club, playing their home games in Poland due to the ongoing conflict, looks to add to their European trophy collection while Palace aims to build on their recent major trophy success.

The Lead

Crystal Palace and Shakhtar Donetsk prepare to face off in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final, with both teams having compelling stories to tell in this European competition. The match takes place in Krakow with kickoff scheduled for 8pm BST.

The Teams' European Journeys

Crystal Palace, who took 120 years to win their first major trophy, are seeking to make it "two in two" under Oliver Glasner in his final weeks at the club. They advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-0 win at home against Fiorentina in the first quarter-final leg, followed by a 2-1 loss in the second.

Shakhtar Donetsk, led by former Atlético Madrid and Turkey midfielder Arda Turan, are on course for a league title in their manager's first season. The Ukrainian club is eyeing their second European trophy, having won the Uefa Cup in 2009 before the Europa League rebrand. They reached the last four with a 5-2 aggregate victory over AZ Alkmaar.

The Ukrainian Club's Resilience

Shakhtar's European campaign has been remarkable given the circumstances. All of their "home" Conference League matches this season have been played at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium in Poland due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The club has shown remarkable resilience, having lost most foreign players after special FIFA regulations allowed them to leave for free following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

"There is war in Ukraine and yet people live their lives," said Turan. "Every day shows that this nation never gives up."

The Road to the Final

The winner of this tie will face either Nottingham Forest or Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League final. Shakhtar reached the last four of the Europa League in 2016 and 2020 before the 2022 invasion changed everything for the club.