Conference League playoff round draw in full: Crystal Palace discover opponents with fixture dates confirmed

Crystal Palace have been drawn against Zrinjski Mostar in the Conference League knockout playoff round.

The Eagles are competing in European competition for the first time in their history following their historic FA Cup triumph last season.

Oliver Glasner’s side were listed as the bookmakers’ favourites to follow in the footsteps of West Ham United and reigning champions Chelsea in winning the Conference League this term, but they faced a number of setbacks during the League Phase.

Indeed, Palace had to settle for a 10th-placed finish in the 36-team table after accumulating only 10 points from their six fixtures (W3 D1 L2), dropping points in defeats against AEK Larnaca (1-0) and table-toppers Strasbourg (2-1).

A much-changed Eagles outfit were held to a 2-2 home draw by KuPS on matchday six and that result confirmed that Glasner’s side missed out on automatic last-16 qualification, forcing them to enter the knockout playoff round.

The draw was completed on Friday and Palace will face Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar over two legs, with the first leg taking place in Mostar on February 19 before the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park on February 26.

Who are Crystal Palace’s Conference League opponents Zrinjski Mostar?

Zrinjski Mostar were founded back in 1905 in what was then Austria-Hungary, and they are now the oldest football club in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Nicknamed Plemici (The Nobles), Zrinjski were re-established in 1992 after Bosnia became an independent country and they have since lifted a record nine top-flight trophies, winning their latest title last season by just one point.

In the summer of 2000, Zrinjski participated in a UEFA competition for the first time, losing via the away goals rule to Swedish team Vastra Frolunda IF following a 2-2 aggregate draw in the first round of the Intertoto Cup.

They have since regularly competed in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League qualifiers over the last decade before securing qualification for the latter competition for the first time in their history in 2023-24.

Zrinjski finished rock bottom of their group, including Aston Villa, after claiming only four points from six matches, but they fared better in the League Phase of this season’s Conference League.

Indeed, Igor Stimac’s side picked up seven points across six games, memorably beating Lincoln Red Imps 5-0 and BK Hacken 2-1 on home soil before claiming a crucial point in a 1-1 draw with Rapid Vienna on matchday six to finish 23rd in the table and secure their place in playoff round.