- Chris Richards ruled out of Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
- American hopes to be available for Conference League final
- Ankle injury means he sits out final day of the Premier League
Chris Richards is hopeful of returning for Crystal Palace’s UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27th. The American defender is nursing an ankle injury suffered in a 2-2 draw against Brentford last Sunday.
Oliver Glasner ruled Richards out of this Sunday’s encounter with Arsenal in the final game of the Eagles’ Premier League campaign. The Austrian said that it was “50/50” whether he’d be available for the club’s first-ever European final next week.
Richards has been a key man for Glasner this season, and losing in the biggest game of the season will have been a huge setback. It appears the 26-year-old expects to be back for the clash with Rayo in Leipzig.
Men in Blazers have spoken to Richards’ agent and been told that the player’s injury is minor. He hopes to be ready for the Conference League final and doesn’t expect to miss a minute of the USMNT’s World Cup this summer.
Richards has made 50 appearances across competitions this season and been a mainstay in Glasner’s backline. His performances alongside Maxence Lacroix and Jaydee Canvot have played an instrumental role in the South Londoners reaching the Conference League final.
Glasner will have to tinker with his side for the game against Arsenal which is a dead rubber. The Gunners have already been crowned champions while Palace can’t qualify for Europe and are safe from the drop.
Richards is doing “everything” to be fit
Glasner explained in his pre-match press conference that Richards is undergoing extensive treatment to ensure he returns for the final. The Austrian first revealed that the player had torn two ligaments in his ankle before delving into his recovery process:
“He is in from the morning, from sunrise until sunset having treatments and everything we can do that reduces the swelling, and of course we have a great medical department, so we will give our best and he will give his best – and then let’s see if we can get it done.”
A similar situation arose with Adam Wharton before last season’s FA Cup final. There were fears that the English midfielder would miss the clash with Manchester City at Wembley.
Wharton, of course, participated and delivered a sensational performance despite being concussed during the final. This Palace group are warriors, and Richards’ determination will hopefully lead to him starting at Red Bull Arena next week.
