Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has provided crucial team news updates ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash against AZ Alkmaar at Selhurst Park, with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 PM GMT. The Eagles have received a major boost with the return of midfielder Adam Wharton from illness, while defender Chadi Riad makes his emotional return to the matchday squad after nearly 10 months out with an ACL injury.
Players Ruled Out
Eddie Nketiah (Striker) – The forward remains sidelined with a minor muscle injury sustained in training and will miss Thursday’s fixture. Glasner confirmed the injury timeline, stating: “It’s a minor muscle injury. It looks like he’ll be back after the international break. So he will miss three games”. Nketiah will be unavailable for the AZ Alkmaar match, this weekend’s Premier League fixture against Brighton, and the upcoming international break before returning to action.
Rio Cardines (Defender) – The young defender has been ruled out with a minor abductor injury and will not feature in the matchday squad. Glasner confirmed Cardines’ absence during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Cheick Doucouré (Midfielder) – The Mali international remains a long-term absentee with a knee injury and continues his rehabilitation away from first-team action. No specific return date has been confirmed for the midfielder.
Caleb Kporha (Defender) – The defender is sidelined with a back injury and will not be available for selection. His return timeline remains unclear.
Naouirou Ahamada (Midfielder) – The midfielder is ineligible to play in the Conference League due to squad registration rules.
Major Injury Boost: Adam Wharton Returns
Midfielder Adam Wharton has returned to training after missing the last two matches against Liverpool (3-0 win in the EFL Cup) and Brentford (2-0 Premier League victory) due to illness. However, Glasner cautioned that the England international is not yet at full fitness following his bout with fever.
“Adam is back,” Glasner confirmed. “To be honest, I think he’s not 100% right now – his fever was too high and he was laying in his bed – but it’s good now to be back in the rhythm, in the training sessions, and then let’s see how many minutes he gets tomorrow”.
Wharton’s return provides Palace with additional midfield depth and creativity, though his involvement may be limited to a substitute appearance given his recent illness. The 21-year-old has been an important player for the Eagles this season, and his availability strengthens Glasner’s options in central midfield.
Emotional Return: Chadi Riad
In the most significant team news update, defender Chadi Riad will be included in Crystal Palace’s matchday squad for the first time since suffering an ACL rupture in January 2025. The Moroccan center-back has been sidelined for approximately 10 months but received clearance to train with the first team this week.
“That’s the best news: yesterday he was allowed to train with the team, and he had yesterday’s session and today’s session,” Glasner revealed. “He will be in the matchday squad tomorrow. We have one spot free. I spoke to him, and it’s just wearing the shirt and having the Selhurst atmosphere. He won’t get minutes, to be honest, but it’s just being involved in the matchday squad again”.
Glasner emphasized the importance of managing Riad’s comeback carefully, stating: “Now it’s to build him up step by step. He needs now training rhythm and playing a few minutes with the Under-21s to get back into the game rhythm. No pressure on him – no rush. The most important thing is he really goes step by step to his top level, and he will get all the support”.
The Austrian manager continued: “It’s important we don’t talk about him every day and expect he’ll be back in one week or two weeks. He was out more or less one-and-a-half years with a short break when he could train with us. Of course, [this week] was a big moment for him. I had a few injuries in my career as well, and you’re always working in the gym with rehab and watching all the other players on the pitch, having fun and playing football”.
Complete Injury List
| Player | Position | Injury/Issue | Status | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Wharton | Midfielder | Illness (Recovered) | Available | Available now |
| Chadi Riad | Defender | ACL Rupture (Recovering) | In Squad | January 2026 (Full fitness) |
| Eddie Nketiah | Striker | Muscle Injury | Ruled Out | After International Break |
| Rio Cardines | Defender | Abductor Injury | Ruled Out | Unknown |
| Cheick Doucouré | Midfielder | Knee Injury | Ruled Out | Unknown |
| Caleb Kporha | Defender | Back Injury | Ruled Out | Unknown |
| Naouirou Ahamada | Midfielder | Ineligible | Unavailable | N/A (Cup-tied) |
Squad Availability
Despite the absentees, Glasner confirmed that the rest of his squad is fit and available for selection: “The players look good. Eddie Nketiah is not available and Rio Cardines has a minor abductor injury and he won’t be available. All others [are available]”.
This means key players including Jean-Philippe Mateta, Marc Guéhi, Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards, Daniel Muñoz, Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma and Dean Henderson are all available for Thursday’s crucial Conference League encounter.
Impact on Team Selection
With Nketiah ruled out, Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line as Palace’s undisputed first-choice striker. The Frenchman has been in excellent form and will be crucial to Palace’s attacking strategy against the Dutch side.
Wharton’s availability, albeit not at 100% fitness, provides Glasner with the option to rotate his midfield or introduce fresh legs from the bench during the second half. His return is particularly timely given Palace’s congested fixture schedule, with Premier League and European commitments requiring careful squad management.
Recent Form Context
Crystal Palace enters Thursday’s fixture in excellent form, having won their last two matches without conceding a goal – a 3-0 EFL Cup victory over Liverpool and a 2-0 Premier League triumph against Brentford. The Eagles have lost just one of their last 15 home matches, though that defeat came in their previous Conference League home fixture against AEK Larnaca.
Glasner’s side currently sits 16th in the Conference League standings on three points from two matches, level with AZ Alkmaar who occupy 21st position. A victory on Thursday would significantly boost Palace’s chances of advancing through the league phase and ease pressure ahead of their remaining fixtures.
The Austrian manager acknowledged the importance of the fixture while refusing to label it a “must-win” game: “I will never say a game is a must-win, but we will do everything to win it. We play against an experienced European team who beat West Ham and Aston Villa in the last years. I watched their game on Sunday, and they could have been 3-0 up at half-time, which shows their quality. We will need our best level to win this game”.
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