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Spring is in the air and it’s all beaming smiles again at Crystal Palace. A sensational performance blew away Fiorentina as Jean-Philippe Mateta scored on his first start since the end of January, Tyrick Mitchell added a second before Ismaïla Sarr’s late header left Oliver Glasner’s side with one foot in the semi-finals in their debut European campaign.

Until now, Palace’s performances in front of their own fans in the Conference League have been far from impressive. But having had the luxury of three weeks to prepare for this match, Glasner showed why he has such a good record in knockout matches in recent seasons as his team executed their gameplan perfectly.

Fiorentina – who have reached the last eight of the Conference League for four consecutive seasons and lost in two finals – had no answer and could have found themselves completely out of the tie by the break. Sarr’s late strike meant they will travel to next week’s second leg in Florence with the job virtually complete.

Glasner made the most of Palace’s long break to watch Fiorentina in action at Hellas Verona at the weekend and had clearly come prepared. A 1-0 win meant Paolo Vanoli’s side moved five points clear of the Serie A relegation zone having been bottom of the table at the start of the year. The former Rangers defender, who was an assistant to Antonio Conte at Chelsea and for Italy, had to make do without the injured Moise Kean as Roberto Piccoli replaced the Azzurri striker, while David De Gea and Jack Harrison were familiar faces in the visitors’ starting lineup.

Mateta was denied the opportunity to join them in Italy after failing his medical with Milan in January having made no secret of his desire to leave Palace. All appeared to have been forgiven when the France striker was given a hearty reception before kick-off, with the two teams emerging to a cacophony of noise and a sea of white streamers that littered the pitch.

Another massive benefit of Palace’s lack of recent games is that Daniel Muñoz is now fully fit. The Colombia wing-back was at his marauding best from the start as Mateta headed wide from an early cross before Evann Guessand volleyed just wide. The Ivory Coast forward was just about to unleash another shot after being set up by Sarr when he was brought down inside the area by Dodô, and the Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas immediately pointed to the spot despite Fiorentina’s protests. Mateta stepped up and coolly rolled the ball past De Gea before performing his trademark corner flag kick celebration to the delight of the home fans.

Palace smelled blood and things got even better for them eight minutes later when Muñoz acrobatically found Mateta inside the box and De Gea was able to make an excellent save from point blank range, only for Mitchell to slam in the rebound. It could have been even worse for Fiorentina if the lively Guessand or Maxence Lacroix had taken chances just before the break. They looked relieved to reach the sanctuary of their dressing room only two goals down and still with 11 players after Dodô was lucky to escape a second booking for pulling back Guessand.

The start of the second half was delayed because De Gea was forced to clear a mass of streamers out of his goal that had been encouraged to accumulate in the net by some mischievous fans in the Holmesdale End. But a quick break in which Giovanni Fabbian struck the crossbar from inside the area showed that Fiorentina were still alive, even if Harrison was probably offside in the build-up. Daichi Kamada responded by firing inches wide in Palace’s next attack, although there was by no means the same fluency as in the first half.

Fiorentina struggled to find a way past a defence that was well organised by Lacroix, who made his debut for France last week and has every chance of going to this summer’s World Cup if he continues this form. Mateta must hope that Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps wasn’t watching when he nodded wide from Sarr’s cross with the goal gaping that would have capped a memorable occasion for him and Palace, only for the Senegal forward to make amends.