The Conference League final is upon us, and for the first time in their respective histories, Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano are competing for a major European trophy. It's the kind of fairy tale that makes you believe in football again - or at least believe that the eighth-best team in Spain and the 15th-best team in England deserve a shot at continental glory.

As one fan from southern Patagonia put it, biscuits have been baked. The stakes are high: the winner gets an automatic spot in next season's Europa League, a prize that would normally be as distant as a competent VAR decision for these clubs. Palace, you'll recall, were actually kicked out of the Europa League and demoted to this competition due to multi-club ownership rules. A blessing in disguise, they called it. We'll see.

Adam Wharton, despite a late-season ankle scare against Arsenal, is fit enough to start. Chris Richards, deemed 'touch and go,' is only on the bench. The first half, however, has been less than electric. The best chance fell to Tyrick Mitchell, who headed wide from point-blank range just before the break. The referee, Maurizio Mariani, has been busy calling fouls and generally ensuring the game has all the flow of congealed custard. A medical emergency in the stands caused a delay, with Rayo Vallecano players initially refusing to restart. Classy. Or just common decency.

Still, there's a whole second half to go. As one fan noted, "We're like kids gifted a toy: desperate to open it, to play, enjoy it." Let's hope the toy comes with batteries included.