Glasner says Mateta, Munoz and Henderson are fit for Crystal Palace vs Fiorentina
Quick summary
Oliver Glasner said Jean-Philippe Mateta, Daniel Munoz and Dean Henderson all trained fully before Crystal Palace's UEFA Conference League quarter-final against Fiorentina. He added that Mateta's knee still needs minute management, while Palace enter the match refreshed after extra rest.
Full article
Attributed to BBCCrystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner spoke to the microphones of TNT Sport before kick-off against Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals.
The Austrian coach discussed his team’s progress in training, as well as providing updates on returning stars Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Daniel Munoz and Dean Henderson.
“They trained fully, Dean was ill before the international break and JP [Mateta] and Daniel were managing their minutes. Of course they are starters but we still have to manage Mateta’s knee and so it’s good Strand Larsen comes back for the Newcastle game.
“It’s always good to have many options because as we saw at Larnaca, we needed Strand Larsen and Mateta up front to help us score goals so it’s good to have many options.
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Crystal Palace vs Fiorentina – Glasner: ‘We are refreshed and ready’ Asked about how he was feeling, and how the squad have been doing in training, Glasner said
“Yes we’re feeling refreshed. We made the best of it. Many players played for their national team and we had an in-house game so everyone can stay in rhythm with a good week in training.
“Yes I feel relaxed, the players give me a good feeling. We had a great week in training but on the other hand, we know the most important part is after the kick off, how we perform. But the preparation is very good.”
Glasner’s Crystal Palace come into the game with extra rest compared to Fiorentina, who played at the weekend. The English club have not played since before the international break, with many English clubs given an extra week of rest due to the FA Cup weekend.
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What happened
Speaking before kick-off against Fiorentina, Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner said Dean Henderson had recovered from illness and that Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Munoz had trained fully. Glasner described all three as starters, although he noted Mateta's knee still requires careful workload management. He also highlighted Palace's strong training week and said the squad felt refreshed after the international break. Palace may hold a physical preparation edge because they had more rest than Fiorentina ahead of the quarter-final.
Chance analysis
This is meaningful pre-match availability news because it strengthens Crystal Palace's likely starting XI and improves depth in key areas. The only caution is Mateta's knee management, which slightly tempers the boost, but overall the update is favorable for Palace's short-term outlook.
Crystal Palace's team outlook improves ahead of Fiorentina, though Mateta may still need managed usage.
Treat this as positive lineup and fitness news for Crystal Palace, with a small availability caveat around Mateta's minutes.