Crystal Palace appoint Sage as manager

LONDON: Crystal Palace hired Pierre Sage as their new manager on Monday to replace Oliver Glasner after the Austrian left the Uefa Conference League winners at the end of the season.

Sage agreed to a three-year contract with the Premier League club, having impressed at French side Lens last term.

The 47-year-old Frenchman led Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1, securing qualification for the Champions League, and won the French Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

Sage was voted Ligue 1 Manager of the Year for his achievements in his debut season with Lens, which convinced Palace to move for him after Glasner’s exit following the Conference League final victory over Rayo Vallecano.

“It’s amazing to be here at Crystal Palace. I am excited by the history of the club and by recent seasons,” Sage said.

“Oliver Glasner achieved some amazing things, and now I have to do the same. That’s why we come here with a lot of ambition.

“The dynamic here is really positive, and we are in this mindset too. We won last year and we want to continue in this way, in a new club, a new project, but with a lot of winning habits.”

Palace’s Conference League triumph earned them a place in next season’s Europa League, maintaining the south London club’s progress in recent years.

They defeated Manchester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup for the first time in their history in 2025.

Eagles chairman Steve Parish hopes former Lyon boss Sage can continue the development put in place by Glasner, whose departure was announced earlier in the year.

“I am tremendously excited to welcome Pierre, who joins us off the back of a trophy-winning season at Lens as well as a fabulous second-place finish in Ligue 1,” Parish said.

“As we move into another European campaign off the back of our success in Leipzig, I know he will give everything to target more success for our fantastic football club.”