Mitchell urges Palace to 'do it all over again' after Conference League success

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ShareCrystal Palace's first season in Europe ended in Conference League glory, which means they will participate in the Europa League next term.Tyrick Mitchell says winning a European trophy was beyond Crystal Palace's wildest dreams before Oliver Glasner took charge, but now he wants to do it all over again next season.Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal as Palace defeated Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final in Leipzig, winning their third trophy in just over a year.Having never lifted major silverware in the first 119 years of their existence, the Eagles have now won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League under Glasner, who oversaw his final match at the helm on Wednesday.They are the third English team to win the trophy in their very first season in major European competition, after West Ham in the 1964-65 Cup Winners' Cup and Newcastle United in the 1968-69 Fairs Cup.English clubs have now won three of the first five editions of the Conference League, and Palace's triumph means they are the ninth Premier League side to qualify for Europe in 2026-27.The Eagles will now participate in the Europa League – the competition they initially qualified for this season before being removed over a breach of multi-club ownership rules – and left-back Mitchell hopes they can write a similar story. "It's something you dream of, but you don't think it's reality. We've shown that it's reality," he told TNT Sports. "I'm just proud of everyone – past and present – that helped us get to this point. We played 60 games this season, so many of us aren't used to it. "We had times when we weren't winning. We lost a couple of games in this competition, but it all meant that if we came here and won, we'd do it all over again!"It's the same feeling as we had when we won the FA Cup. It's just pure delight, pure emotions. We're just happy we did it together."Having lost nine consecutive major European finals against Spanish opponents between 2006 and 2022, English sides have now won their last two (Palace versus Rayo and Chelsea against Real Betis last season, both in the Conference League).Mateta's goal made him the third Frenchman to score for an English club in a European final, after Paul Pogba with Manchester United (in 2017) and Olivier Giroud with Chelsea (in 2019), both in the Europa League.His strike – a poacher's finish after Adam Wharton's shot was parried into his path – capped an eventful season in which Mateta saw a potential transfer to AC Milan collapse over a failed medical in January, but recovered to make France's World Cup squad.The striker told TNT Sports: "I feel fantastic! I feel fantastic! We did it! First time in Europe, and we did it! Now, I just want to celebrate, I just want to party. "It's incredible, we gave everything. I told you about the intensity they would have, and I am tired right now. I gave everything. That's why we won today."I am always with the fans. They have supported me a lot as a player. They are always behind us. We did it for them, too."Crystal Palace's first season in Europe ended in Conference League glory, which means they will participate in the Europa League next term.Tyrick Mitchell says winning a European trophy was beyond Crystal Palace's wildest dreams before Oliver Glasner took charge, but now he wants to do it all over again next season.Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal as Palace defeated Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final in Leipzig, winning their third trophy in just over a year.Having never lifted major silverware in the first 119 years of their existence, the Eagles have now won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League under Glasner, who oversaw his final match at the helm on Wednesday.They are the third English team to win the trophy in their very first season in major European competition, after West Ham in the 1964-65 Cup Winners' Cup and Newcastle United in the 1968-69 Fairs Cup.English clubs have now won three of the first five editions of the Conference League, and Palace's triumph means they are the ninth Premier League side to qualify for Europe in 2026-27.The Eagles will now participate in the Europa League – the competition they initially qualified for this season before being removed over a breach of multi-club ownership rules – and left-back Mitchell hopes they can write a similar story. "It's something you dream of, but you don't think it's reality. We've shown that it's reality," he told TNT Sports. "I'm just proud of everyone – past and present – that helped us get to this point. We played 60 games this season, so many of us aren't used to it. "We had times when we weren't winning. We lost a couple of games in this competition, but it all meant that if we came here and won, we'd do it all over again!"It's the same feeling as we had when we won the FA Cup. It's just pure delight, pure emotions. We're just happy we did it together."Having lost nine consecutive major European finals against Spanish opponents between 2006 and 2022, English sides have now won their last two (Palace versus Rayo and Chelsea against Real Betis last season, both in the Conference League).Mateta's goal made him the third Frenchman to score for an English club in a European final, after Paul Pogba with Manchester United (in 2017) and Olivier Giroud with Chelsea (in 2019), both in the Europa League.His strike – a poacher's finish after Adam Wharton's shot was parried into his path – capped an eventful season in which Mateta saw a potential transfer to AC Milan collapse over a failed medical in January, but recovered to make France's World Cup squad.The striker told TNT Sports: "I feel fantastic! I feel fantastic! We did it! First time in Europe, and we did it! Now, I just want to celebrate, I just want to party. "It's incredible, we gave everything. I told you about the intensity they would have, and I am tired right now. I gave everything. That's why we won today."I am always with the fans. They have supported me a lot as a player. They are always behind us. We did it for them, too."