Eze scored the all-important winnerEze scored the all-important winner
Eze scored the all-important winner | Getty Images
A look at what the FA Cup final result means for Chelsea, Brentford and Fulham as all three chase European qualification.
Dean Henderson probably should have been sent off for a handball outside the area, and the goalkeeper then became the hero, saving an Omar Marmoush penalty and producing a world-class save shortly after. Palace defended admirably in the second half and secured a historic first-ever major trophy. Here we take a look at what the win means for those chasing Europe in the Premier League.
What does Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win mean for Brentford, Chelsea and Fulham?
Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup effectively means that they have secured Europa League football for next season. That means that only sixth place is a Europa League position, with the top five qualifying for the Champions League. Seventh place will now be a Conference League position, and eighth is no longer a European spot.
For Chelsea, that means that if they miss out on the Champions League, which is looking increasingly unlikely, they will have to finish in sixth to reach the Europa League. Seventh would be a Conference League spot unless they finished there and won their Conference League final, in which case they would still secure Europa League qualification via the tournament winner route.
As for Brentford and Fulham, Palace’s win means they have been eliminated from European qualification. Neither side can catch Nottingham Forest in seventh place with only two games remaining. It’s a crushing blow for both London sides, who have both enjoyed superb campaigns.
Palace heading for Europe
Crystal Palace will play in the Europa League in the 2025/26 season, and it is their first real European qualification. Their only previous experience of Europe came in the 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup, but that was a very different competition. Teams had to apply and get invited to play in that competition, and it was not qualification-based.
The FA Cup win made history for Palace, and they will make more history when they play their first Europa League group stage game next season. It’s perhaps worth noting that the Eagles will qualify directly and will not have to go through the qualification process.
What Oliver Glasner has said about the FA Cup
We will update this section with fresh quotes when Palace boss Glasner speaks after full-time, but before the game, he said of the FA Cup: "There's not only one thing, but what I really like. And this is something we all experience tomorrow, is how you stick to your traditions. The FA Cup is the most traditional football cup competition in the world. And this is what I can feel, I like this, sticking to traditions."
Frank was well aware of Palace factor
Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Fulham, Brentford boss Thomas Frank acknowledged that his side are not in control of their fate despite sitting in eighth. He said: "We can't control it. Unfortunately, it's not only up to us. Right now, we're eighth with two games to go. We can win both games, we can lose both games - that's the beauty of this wonderful league.
"We're playing against two strong teams. It'll be two even games, starting with a west London derby against Fulham. I have big belief we can win, but I'm sure Fulham think the same."
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