The Eagles land in the Cypriot sun for a tactical snooze

There is a certain poetic irony in Crystal Palace being the final British representative left standing in Europe. While the traditional heavyweights are busy imploding in the Champions League, South London’s finest are embarking on a high-stakes pilgrimage to the AEK Arena, where the sun is relentless and the goals are, apparently, strictly prohibited.

Having already suffered a 1-0 defeat to AEK Larnaca during the league phase and followed it up with a 0-0 first-leg masterclass in boredom at Selhurst Park, Palace find themselves in a precarious spot. They are facing a Cypriot side that defends with the collective stubbornness of a landlord refusing to return a security deposit. AEK Larnaca conceded just once during the entire league phase. ONCE. It is hard to tell if they are playing football or just building a very efficient human wall across the Mediterranean.

The Eagles found themselves in this competition thanks to the administrative joy of multi-club ownership rules—a fancy way of saying John Textor’s European empire is a bit too crowded for UEFA’s liking. Demoted from the Europa League before a ball was even kicked, Palace are now the "last British hope," a title that currently carries about as much prestige as being the fastest runner in a retirement home.

Eberechi Eze and his cohorts will need to find a way through the Larnaca humidity and a backline that treats a clean sheet like a sacred religious text. If they do not find a goal soon, their European adventure will end not with a bang, but with a very long flight home and a lot of explaining to do to the fans who spent their life savings on a trip to Cyprus. Expect plenty of sideways passing, several speculative shots that bother the local seagulls, and a lot of tactical grimacing from Oliver Glasner.

Prediction: AEK Larnaca 1-0 Crystal Palace