Christantus Uche used the weekend to remind the football world of a trophy he barely got to celebrate on the pitch, sharing his UEFA Conference League winner’s medal from his loan year at Crystal Palace.

Uche spent last season on loan at Palace from Getafe, arriving in England off the back of a standout campaign in La Liga that had made him one of Getafe’s most important players. The move to the Premier League never quite worked out the way it was expected to, however, with the Nigerian restricted to just 159 minutes of league action all season.

His involvement in the Conference League itself was similarly limited. Uche was named in Palace’s squad for the group stage but was left out once the competition reached its knockout rounds, meaning he watched much of the run to the trophy from the sidelines. He was still awarded a winner’s medal when Palace lifted the title.

Sharing a photo of the medal on social media, Uche posted a message about resilience in the face of people who try to hold others back through negative or unfair treatment, thanking UEFA for the honour. He did not name anyone, but the timing and tone were widely interpreted as a veiled reference to his working relationship with Glasner, who gave him little playing time across the season.

Uche had previously hinted at friction with the Austrian coach before the season ended, suggesting he felt singled out, though the specifics of any falling-out have never been fully explained by either party.

With his loan spell over, Uche is back at Getafe, where reports in Spain and England have linked both Everton and Real Betis with a move for the 23 year old this summer as he looks to rebuild momentum after a difficult year in the Premier League.