Palace Round-Up, Friday 23rd October 2026: Mateta on Target as Palace Battle Back for 2-2 Draw at Besiktas
Palace's Europa League trip to Turkey produced a thrilling 2-2 draw with Besiktas, with Jean-Philippe Mateta among the scorers as the Eagles showed real character to come away with a point (The Guardian) (The Eagles Beak) (CPFC.co.uk). The Guardian noted it as part of a dramatic night across the competition, with Mateta's return to the scoresheet a key talking point (The Guardian).
Boss Pierre Sage felt his side deserved more than a draw, saying the performance merited a better result (CPFC.co.uk). Mateta gave his own reflections on the display in Istanbul, discussing both his overall performance and his goalscoring contribution in separate post-match interviews (CPFC.co.uk) (CPFC.co.uk). Sage also spoke about what he called an entertaining contest, while new man McNeil admitted he had never experienced anything quite like the occasion (CPFC.co.uk) (CPFC.co.uk). The Eagles Beak described the trip as full of character even if it fell short of being a true "Turkish Delight," with pressure still lingering on Sage despite the gutsy point (The Eagles Beak). BBC Sport followed supporter Ollie Thomas as he explored Istanbul before the game, though he was left a little bemused by the eventual draw (BBC Sport).
Looking at the bigger European picture, CPFC.co.uk have set out exactly where Palace stand after three matchdays in the competition (CPFC.co.uk), while fans are also being invited to book a photo opportunity with the Conference League trophy (CPFC.co.uk).
Domestically, attention now turns to Sunday's Premier League visit of Chelsea, with Sage fronting the pre-match press conference (CPFC.co.uk). The Guardian highlighted the tough start both Palace and Newcastle have endured this season, pointing to a troubling run of goals conceded in the league as a shared issue for two managers appointed over the summer (The Guardian).
Away from the first team, Palace's U18s will be looking to make it three wins from three in their upcoming fixture (CPFC.co.uk). And for a touch of nostalgia, The Eagles Beak revisited a classic 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle United as part of their Classic Palace Clash series (The Eagles Beak).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
