Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner in 'lucky jumper' at Wembley (Image: PA)
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner in 'lucky jumper' at Wembley (Image: PA)
Oliver Glasner sticks to routine. A trip to the snack table, decorated with pastries and hot drinks, has become a post press conference ritual for the Eagles boss, who tucks into the last remaining Danish following the exchanges at Crystal Palace’s Copers Cope base.
The regular attendees know better than to finish the platter, but newcomers to the busier than usual cup final press conference are uninitiated. Arise Pastrygate.
Glasner took his trip to the table, expecting his reserved pastry, which had vanished. Palace had ensured extra treats were laid out, but even so, it had disappeared during the press conference. The guilty party, a mystery.
There was a wave of shock in the room. Glasner, humorously unimpressed. A member of staff hurried out of the room to find a spare Danish. The Austrian had to wait longer than expected, but he did have his pastry hand-delivered shortly after he briefed the media. The superstitious breathe a sigh of relief.
Absolute scenes in the press room as someone stole the last pastry! Oliver Glasner was not happy pic.twitter.com/b9Hbihl23U
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) May 16, 2025
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Another habitual necessity for the Palace boss is to adorn his black Hugo Boss jumper on the sidelines. He has repped the wardrobe staple since the fifth round, when the Eagles beat south London rivals Millwall 3-1 at Selhurst Park.
However, FA Cup final tradition suggests managers and players should arrive in tailored suits, with the manager remaining in his suit during the game.
Glasner, by his own admission, loves the tradition surrounding the FA Cup final – including the singing of the national anthem and Abide with Me – but is also superstitious. Perhaps a balance is required.
As is custom, the Palace boss will arrive at Wembley in his bespoke suit, although his uniform jumper is likely to make an appearance under the arch as the south London club seek to end their 120-year wait for a trophy.
“I will definitely wear a suit to arrive at Wembley and then we'll see," said Glasner.
"It could be,” he responded when asked about changing into the jumper.
"After winning a trophy, I change my outfit. I hope it's the last game for the jumper.”