Team news: Sage names side to face RC Lens
Manager Pierre Sage has named his starting XI for Crystal Palace's first game at the Como Cup.
Manager Pierre Sage has named his starting XI for Crystal Palace's first game at the Como Cup.
The Eagles will face France's RC Lens and Portugal's F.C. Famalicão on Tuesday evening in two 45 minute-length fixtures this evening.
And Manager Pierre Sage has selected a strong Palace XI to get things underway. Cheick Doucouré makes his first start of pre-season, next to Will Hughes in the midfield engine room.
Academy defender Charlie Walker-Smith will form a three-man central defence with Jaydee Canvot and Borna Sosa.
In attack both Brennan Johnson and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi are expected to support Eddie Nketiah.
World Cup returnees Chris Richards and Daichi Kamada are on the bench.
Palace XI to face Lens: Benítez (GK), Sosa, Walker-Smith, Canvot, Mitchell, Hughes, Doucouré, Cardines, Johnson, Rak-Sakyi, Nketiah.
Subs: Whitworth (GK), Benetton (GK), Tomiyasu (T), Richards, Kamada.
Through Palace TV+, you’ll also be able to watch the Eagles’ three matches in the Como Cup this week, as well as our pre-season finale in Germany against Europa League finalists SC Freiburg in August, the week before the new Premier League season commences.
Our 26/27 pre-season bundle – which costs just £19.99 – grants access to all of the matches live and on-demand (the full 90 minutes), wherever you are in the world, until Wednesday, 19th August 2026.
The pre-season bundle pass is a one-off payment, which does not auto-renew. Please note: this pass only enables access to the live broadcasts and on-demand repeats of the pre-season matches, and not other premium Palace TV content.