Crystal Palace fans ambushed by black-clad mob in Leipzig on eve of Conference League final

WATCH: Oliver Glasner's final Premier League press conference as Crystal Palace manager

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GB NEWS

Peter Stevens

By Peter Stevens


Published: 27/05/2026

- 02:18

Video showed the mob storming over chairs and laying into the seated Palace fans before chaos broke out

Crystal Palace fans were ambushed by a black-clad mob of "ultras" in Leipzig last night on the eve of the Conference League final.

Footage circulating on social media shows Palace fans assembled outside a bar in the German city on Tuesday evening before they are set upon by a group wearing black t-shirts.


Video showed the mob storming over chairs and laying into the seated Palace fans, before both groups began hurling chairs and glasses at each other until riot police intervened.

A number of English people were held by police after allegedly breaching the peace.

One Palace fan on the ground said the "Spanish lefties" had come "for a fight with the English right-wing in Leipzig".

"We stood there, and they backed off," they said on social media, alongside images showing Restore Britain flags outside an Irish bar.

No injuries have so far been reported as a result of the skirmish.

Police have also stayed quiet on whether those in black were Rayo Vallecano fans or supporters of FC Lokomotive Leipzig, a fourth-tier German side who have been known wear to similar clothing.

Alongside this evening's final, Lokomotive are also lining up for a promotion play-off on Thursday.

Crystal Palace German skirmish

Black clad mob of fans threw chairs at Crystal Palace fans before German police intervened

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X/PDTEEDMUNDO

Palace fans threw chairs back in retaliation, with one appearing to come to blows before police intervened.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said German officers explained the crowd were being held over an alleged breach of peace, a criminal offence in German law.

The group were subject to a range of German police control measures, including detention, establishment of ID, search of person, and full-body photograph.

The Eagles will face off against Rayo on Wednesday evening in both sides' first ever European final.

UEFA Conference League finals

The Conference League final will take place in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday evening

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GETTY

Both sets of supporters were allocated around 11,500 tickets to the final, but thousands more fans are expected to congregate in the city to watch the game in pubs and bars.

Palace had been set to play in the Europa League this season, but were controversially sent down to the third-tier competition over former co-owner John Textor's involvement with Lyon in violation Uefa's multi-ownership rules.

The south London outfit finished 10th in the league phase of the competition before an extraordinary route to the final.

After squeezing past Zrinjski Mostar in the knockout round play-offs and AEK Larnaca in the round of 16, Palace turned up the heat in comprehensive wins over Fiorentina and Shakhtar Donetsk.

The final will be Oliver Glasner's last game with the club, which he coached to a remarkable FA Cup and Community Shield double in 2025.

\u200bOliver Glasner

The final will mark Oliver Glasner's last game with the club after nearly two-and-a-half years

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REUTERS

Palace chairman Steve Parish has credited him with taking his club to new heights - though the pair are said to have clashed over a lack of backing in the transfer market to replace outgoing superstars like Eberechi Eze.

Speaking after his side's 2-1 final day loss to champions Arsenal at Selhurst Park, the Austrian said: "Yesterday they had a nice farewell for me, and then I said a few words.

"I said that for me, the best thing would be, of course, winning tomorrow, but not for winning tomorrow, but because then they plan European football in the Europa League next year.

"They would get next year what we should have gotten this year. Then I said I would like to watch on TV that they would start their Europa League with the desire and the confidence that they can win the Europa League as well."

If they see off Rayo, Palace would become the third English side to win the Conference League after West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea last summer.