Crystal Palace have a massive April ahead, with five matches in 16 days as they prepare to embark on the Conference League quarter-finals and back into the Premier League. All the action starts with the clash with Fiorentina on Thursday.
Crystal Palace last played a competitive match on March 19, securing safe passage through to the quarter-finals of the Conference League against AEK Larnaca.
With their match against Manchester City postponed due to Pep Guardiola’s men being involved in the Carabao Cup final, Oliver Glasner’s non-internationals have had three weeks off.
Now though, it is very much back to business, as the club prepare for five matches in 16 days.
With a small chance still of finishing in the European places in the Premier League and of course the latter stages of the Conference League, it is a massive month for Palace.
But who are they playing and when?
Crystal Palace v Fiorentina (Thursday, 9 April, 20:00)
A return to Selhurst Park for one of the biggest games played in south London in the history of the club.
Palace welcome Italian opposition in the Conference League quarter-final first leg and will be hoping to take a sizeable lead to Italy.
Maxence Lacroix previously promised his team would make the most of their chances after being lax in front of goal against AEK Larnaca in the last 16.
Quite simply, it does not get much bigger than this, with a chance of pushing into a semi-final of a major European competition at stake.
Ismaila Sarr put Crystal Palace into the Conference League quarter-finals. Image Credit: ReutersCrystal Palace v Newcastle (Sunday, 12 April, 14:00)
There is not much time to either celebrate an important win or dust themselves off as just three days later, Palace are once again in action at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles welcome a Newcastle side who have been out of sorts all season and who have struggled away, winning only four of their 15 away matches to date.
Palace have themselves won only three home matches in the Premier League, so it may be a case of who blinks first.
If Glasner’s men fail to win this one, their Premier League campaign is effectively over, with relegation more or less impossible but finishing in the European spots also likely done.
Fiorentina v Crystal Palace (Thursday, 16 April, 20:00)
The week after the first leg, Palace must travel to Italy and either finish the job off or make a drastic comeback.
Palace have tended to fare better away from home throughout the season and will again have the disadvantage of heading away for the second leg.
The positive is that Fiorentina have struggled throughout the season, but the negative is that they have significant pedigree in this competition, having reached two finals.
Crystal Palace v West Ham (Monday, 20 April, 20:00)
Monday night under the lights against West Ham is always going to be a big game, no matter the circumstances.
West Ham are in a relegation scrap and so this is even more important for them, while for Palace this could be a match that means no more than a game against West Ham, or it could be massive.
Maxence Lacroix will be crucial for Crystal Palace in the final matches of the season. Image Credit: Reuters.They could have got themselves back into the mix to fight for a high league position, or of course it could be a much-needed pick-me-up should they falter against Fiorentina.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (Saturday, 25 April, 15:00)
Assuming everything goes to plan against Fiorentina, this match falls just five days before the first leg of the semi-final.
That may force Oliver Glasner to chop and change his side a bit for the trip to Anfield.
Conversely of course, if they get on a win streak against Newcastle and West Ham, this match will mean something and Palace’s strong away record (they rank fifth in the away table this season) could help them get something from an out-of-sorts Liverpool.