Conference League

2026-02-19 - Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Zrinjski Mostar v Crystal Palace
Football: UEFA Conference League Knock Out Play Off First Leg
Thursday 19th February 2025 - Kick Off 5:45pm
This game is live on TV

Zrinjski Mostar

The idea behind the introduction of a third UEFA competition was so some of the 'smaller' European Leagues could see their leading teams have an opportunity to develop by playing in European competitions for longer. A club like Zrinjski Mostar would be the target having lost in Qualifying Rounds for either the Champions League or Europa League very early on, but who have reached the Conference League Group Stage twice in three seasons.

Even in this campaign, Zrinjski Mostar have lost Qualifying ties in the Champions League and Europa League, but a couple of successes before being eliminated has allowed them to drop into the Conference League. The side finished 23rd in the Conference League standings to barely make it through to the next Round and this Home Leg is going to be important considering Zrinjski Mostar earned all of their Group points in front of the home fans.

Zrinjski Mostar have won the Bosnian title in three of the last four seasons, but they are 4 points behind rivals Borac Banja Luka having lost 3-0 at the home of the League leaders on Saturday. The side had been unbeaten in 4 games in all competitions and had won 3 in a row before that setback, while Zrinjski Mostar have won consecutive home fixtures ahead of this Conference League tie.

Crystal Palace

Fans of Crystal Palace will have noted that the likes of West Ham United and Chelsea have won the Conference League in the four years since the competition has been introduced and the team begun this campaign as one of the leading contenders. Oliver Glasner will not have been too happy that Crystal Palace failed to secure a top eight spot in the League Phase, which would have meant direct entry into the Last 16, but his team remain one of the favourites to win it all in Leipzig.

The home draw with KuPS will have really hurt Crystal Palace considering they were playing against ten men with the scores level and with over fifteen minutes left in the Match Day 6 fixture. That means The Eagles finished 10th in the Conference League standings, although they are Seeded for the Knock Out Play Off Round and will be hosting the Second Leg. They had a 2-0-1 away record in the League Phase where Crystal Palace scored 6 goals and conceded 2.

Crystal Palace have won 1 of the last 14 games played in all competitions since beating Shelbourne 0-3 away from home in the Conference League, but the team have had over a week to think about the 2-3 home defeat to Burnley. They had led 2-0 in that fixture and so Oliver Glasner has to be expecting a reaction from a Crystal Palace team whose sole win in that 14 game run has been at Brighton in the last away fixture completed.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah are not expected to travel, but a strong Crystal Palace squad is still available to the manager.

Head to Head

This is the first competitive meeting between these two clubs.

Prediction

Despite the relatively disappointing Conference League run through the six Match Days played and the long slump in form, Crystal Palace remain favourites to win the Conference League over the next four months.

Instead of being able to rest up and prepare for the Last 16, Crystal Palace will have to negotiate this Knock Out Play Off Round although there is a big gap in quality between them and Zrinjski Mostar.

The defending Bosnian Champions will have a lot of belief in their own abilities and they were unbeaten in 3 home Group games, but the 0-2 defeat to Utrecht in the Europa League Qualifiers underlines the gap here.

There will be a pressure on Zrinjski Mostar to have something to protect when travelling to South London next week, but the 3-0 defeat at Borac Banja Luka this past weekend will have dented confidence.

Of course they should be stronger at home, but they are facing a Crystal Palace team who are well rested having been beaten in the FA Cup Third Round last month. That means they have had several days to prepare for this First Leg and that should be enough for Crystal Palace to showcase the edge in quality that they have within the squad.

Crystal Palace have been better away from home in the Conference League where the onus is on teams to come at them and that allows the likes of Ismaila Sarr to counter with pace. The arrival of Brennan Johnson and Jorgen Strand Larsen coupled with some injuries clearing up looks to have given Oliver Glasner all of the depth he will need to oversee a strong run in the Conference League and Crystal Palace should be solid command of this tie by Thursday evening.

Travelling to Bosnia to face the defending Champions will not be easy, and Zrinjski Mostar did hold Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw in this competition two years ago. However, that was on Match Day 6 in the old format of the Conference League Group Stage and Aston Villa had a much changed team that led going into the 87th minute.

This week Crystal Palace should be rested, refreshed and playing a much stronger lineup that is focused until the end of the fixture and they can secure a lead that gives them a big advantage to take back home.