Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner reveals he responded to '400 messages' after FA Cup final celebrations | OneFootball

Eagles boss is also relishing the club’s first season in European competition

Oliver Glasner says he woke up after just four hours of sleep to respond to more than 400 WhatsApp messages of congratulations the morning after leading Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory.

Palace won their first-ever piece of major silverware on Saturday night when they won 1-0 against Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Glasner joined in with the club’s late-night celebrations in London after the final but revealed on Monday that he and his family had departed before chairman Steve Parish joined in with the karaoke.

It was Glasner’s second trophy as a manager, following the Europa League title with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.

Winning the FA Cup means he will lead Palace into their first season in that competition next season.

“I always answer every single WhatsApp, every single SMS. I can't sleep very well after games, and it was the same,” Glasner said.

“I went to bed a little bit earlier but got up, as always, after four hours. And then it's good because the family was still sleeping.

“I had my coffee at home and started to respond to more than three or four hundred WhatsApps. Because if somebody writes to me, they want to do something good to me. And then I think, okay, it's a kind of appreciation. Why don't you just say ‘thank you for your words?’ to every single WhatsApp, every single message. I appreciate it.

“And I answer to every single one. And of course, there are more from some people who are closer and some, okay, you haven’t heard from for a few months. But at the end, it's the same. There’s no ranking. Appreciating every single message and congratulation.”

Palace must wait until the summer to learn their group-stage opponents in the Europa League but could be drawn to play away trips in the likes of Porto, Istanbul or Rome.

Glasner has experience of Europa League away games with Frankfurt but hopes Eagles fans will enjoy their club’s first experience of competing in major European competition.

“It will be their first time, and the first time you always remember for the rest of your life,” Glasner said. “That's why it's great. It's the first trophy. It's great. Everybody will always remember.

“It's the same with the Europa League games. Let's see where we will play the away games and whom we play at home. But yes, it is exciting. It should be exciting. It's something that makes it so special.

“If this happens every year and it’s the 30th time to Istanbul, [you might think]: ‘Okay, nice. Next one.’ But if it’s the first one, you’re looking forward to it, you’re excited, you haven’t been there.

“Atmospheres in different stadiums will be different in different countries, and it will be a great experience for everyone.”