Mateta available for Crystal Palace´s Conference League tie

Jean-Philippe Mateta will be in the Crystal Palace squad for their Conference League last 16 first leg against AEK Larnaca, Oliver Glasner confirmed.

Palace host Larnaca at Selhurst Park on Thursday, hoping to avoid a repeat of their league phase defeat to the Cypriot team earlier in the season.

That result in October was the only time an English team has lost to a club from Cyprus in a major European match (W16 D3 L1).

Palace, though, will be full of confidence after their 3-1 win over Tottenham last week, while Mateta’s return provides a further boost.

Only Ismaila Sarr (14) has directly contributed to more goals for Palace this season than Mateta (12), who was close to joining AC Milan in January before a failed medical saw the move collapse.

Glasner is pleased to welcome Mateta back to the squad, though the Palace boss revealed the striker has a minutes restriction.

“JP [Mateta] started to train with us on Monday this week, and he will be in the squad. Everything goes in the right direction,” said Glasner.

“Jean-Philippe Mateta is back and will be in the squad for tomorrow night.”

Oliver Glasner gives an update on the squad to face AEK Larnaca pic.twitter.com/JtkEt6UmxX

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) March 11, 2026

“No [he is not ready for 90 minutes] – he didn’t train for five or six weeks on the pitch, and he’s now back for three days, so no chance [of 90 minutes].

“But it’s good to have him back. He showed in training he’s always able to create chances, score goals, and that’s why it’s good to have him back.”

No side has used more different players in the Conference League this season than Palace (31), while only Rayo Vallecano (10) have had more unique goalscorers in the competition than the Eagles (nine).

However, Larnaca have conceded just one goal across their six games in this season’s Conference League, the fewest of any side in major European competitions this term.

Larnaca’s five clean sheets in the competition this term are already the most any Cypriot side has ever managed in a single major European campaign.