Dean Henderson: This victory was well-deserved; I think we were the better team.

Following Crystal Palace's historic UEFA title win, captain Dean Henderson said the night in Leipzig would be an unforgettable moment in his life, and highly praised his teammates' performance, calling it "amazing."  

In Crystal Palace's club history, Dean Henderson and Marc Guiay are the only two captains to have led the team to win major trophies. In this match against Rayo Vallecano, Dean Henderson kept a clean sheet, securing the historic European title for the team. Although the goalkeeper only became captain in January of this year, after this crucial victory, he immediately emphasized that it was the result of the entire team's collective effort.  

Dean Henderson said in an interview: "These lads really impressed me. Tonight is a special night. We've played 60 games, and they've been running and fighting all season. Although there have been some tough moments in the season, everyone stepped up on nights like this."  

“This is truly incredible. You can’t give up easily; these are special moments created with special people, memories that will last a lifetime. My family was there too, and it was a wonderful feeling. I just wanted to fully experience it all.”  

Speaking about the head coach, Dean Henderson said, "The head coach has been outstanding throughout the game. Although he didn't have many opportunities to make saves in this game, he always remained calm and composed whenever the team needed him, and he did a great job directing the team in the penalty area."  

The captain said after the 17th European match of the season that the pressure that had been building up for so long was finally released the moment he won the title and lifted the trophy. He also believed that the championship was the perfect way to say goodbye to outgoing manager Oliver Glasner.  

"My emotions are complicated right now, it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Because under pressure you always want to prove yourself, and I always believed my teammates would perform like this today. We did waste some chances, but the final result belongs to us. The winning team deserves the victory, and I think we were the better team tonight."  

"We finally reclaimed the honors that should have been ours last season, and it feels like a fairy tale. The head coach has been outstanding, and his ability is undeniable. He deserves this kind of farewell, and I think it's a perfect ending. I'm happy for him."  

Image source: Internet/Crystal Palace official website