Thursday night’s Europa Conference League action was yet another reminder of how significant West Ham’s 2023 run in the competition really was.
Crystal Palace are through to the quarter-finals of this year’s competition after overcoming AEK Larnaca over two legs in the round of 16.
The Cypriot side were also West Ham’s opponents in the same round in 2023. Like Palace, the Irons advanced from the tie and would later go on to lift the trophy that season.
David Moyes’ Irons made light work of Larnaca, beating them 6-0 over two legs in the round of 16. However, the same could not be said of Palace, who drew 0-0 with their opponents at Selhurst Park in the first leg of the encounter.
Then, in Thursday night’s second leg, it took extra time and Larnaca going down to nine men for Oliver Glasner’s side to get over the line, as they limped to a 2-1 victory to progress in the tournament.
When West Ham lifted the Conference League trophy in 2023, the triumph was largely downplayed by the media and neutrals. After all, West Ham were calling themselves “Champions of Europe”, despite winning Europe’s tertiary club competition.
The phrase “my Nan could’ve won that” was thrown around, despite the Hammers’ victories over teams with genuine European pedigree like Fiorentina, AZ Alkmaar and Anderlecht.
But Palace’s run in the Conference League has shown the challenges that English sides face in the competition, despite the standard of teams that participate.
West Ham went unbeaten in the competition in 2023 – a feat no other club from any country has achieved.
Additionally, Palace didn’t even qualify directly for the round of 16 and had to beat Bosnia’s Zrinjski Mostar to earn a knockout tie with Larnaca.
Considering how many people called the Irons’ European triumph less significant than winning the FA Cup, it has been interesting to see how the current holders of England’s top domestic cup competition have struggled in the Conference League this season.
With each passing year, David Moyes’ winners continue to prove how strong a force they were in Europe.
Palace could still go on to win the cup. But like Chelsea last year, even if they are triumphant, they won’t have gone invincible like the Irons. In truth, they are living proof that the competition is much more difficult than most people give it credit for.