Unfortunately, the huge game will not be streamed on Palace TV+ due to competition rulings - so the best way to watch the game is to be there in person at Selhurst Park!
Tickets are available from as low as £1 - click HERE for more information.
U21s set for European semi-final at Selhurst tonight
Crystal Palace Under-21s will face Valencia Mestalla in the semi-finals of the Premier League International Cup at Selhurst Park TONIGHT (Wednesday, 3rd May, 19:00 BST) - here’s everything you need to know about the clash.
If you can't make it to Selhurst Park on the evening, you can also keep up to date with all the action as it happens on the Official Palace Academy Twitter Account. Highlights of this game will be available on Palace TV the following day.
Match Preview
Palace’s good run of form came to an abrupt end in the past two games. Having previously gone 10 games unbeaten across all competitions, defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers have dented their push for second place in the Premier League 2 Division 1.
Despite the recent results in the league, Darren Powell’s side have to turn their attention to the clash against Valencia in the PL International Cup - a competition which they have been excelling in.
Their campaign began in Group C and they recorded a victory over Hertha Berlin and a remarkable 7-3 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain back in August to top the group.
A last-gasp winner from captain Jack Wells-Morrison against Sporting Braga saw the Eagles progress from the group and they then overcame Liverpool in the quarter-finals to set up the clash with Valencia.
Los Che have enjoyed a similar run of form in the tournament so far, beating Wolves, Blackburn and Leicester City in Group A of the tournament. They faced Brighton & Hove Albion in the quarter-finals and managed to sink the Seagulls with a winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time.
PSV Eindhoven await the winners of this clash in the final of the competition. The Dutch side beat Fulham 1-2 at Motspur Park in April.
Tactical Overview
In stark contrast to their first team, Valencia Mestalla are in flying form in Group 3 of the Segunda Federación, the fourth tier of Spanish football. They are on course to record back to back promotions, having qualified for the play-offs to reach the Primera Federación.
The Spanish Academy side have typically deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, in a slight variation on the 4-3-3 seen at first-team level. Manager Miguel Ángel Angulo, the most decorated player in Los Che’s history, has favoured Emilio Bernad in goal and Alberto Marí up front for nearly every game this season.
Palace have been lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in recent months, both under Paddy McCarthy and Darren Powell. The squad has typically seen Tayo Adaramola feature as left wing-back and Danny Imray as right wing-back. David Ozoh, who was born in Valencia, has been a stalwart in the midfield alongside skipper Wells-Morrison.
The Eagles have occasionally utilised a 4-2-3-1 formation earlier in the season, though their good run of form from February to late April has come with the aforementioned 3-5-2 setup.
Did you know?
This will be the first time Palace U21s have played at Selhurst in 2023, having played a number of games in SE25 and at Dulwich Hamlet's Champion Hill earlier in the season.
They are unbeaten in all four of their games at Selhurst Park in 22/23, having recorded a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, a 3-2 win over Brighton and draws against Chelsea and Leicester.
Match Details
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Crystal Palace U21s v Valencia Mestalla
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Wednesday, 3rd May
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Selhurst Park
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19:00 BST