Preview: Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace - prediction, team news, lineups

Crystal Palace will be looking to keep their maiden European journey alive when they travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina to face Zrinjski Mostar in the first leg of their Conference League knockout round playoff tie on Thursday evening.

Bijeli Brijeg Stadium will host the first ever encounter between these two clubs, who are hoping to boost their chances of advancing to the last 16 before travelling to Selhurst Park for next week’s second leg.

Match preview

Crystal Palace are still listed as the bookmakers’ favourites to win the Conference League and become the third English club, after West Ham (2023) and Chelsea (2025), to win the competition, despite failing to secure a top-eight finish in the League Phase.

Three wins, two draws and one defeat were posted across six games by the Eagles, who had to settle for a 10th-placed finish in the 36-team table after being held to a 2-2 home draw by KuPS in their final match on December 18.

Oliver Glasner’s side failed to win any of their next 10 games during a miserable run across all competitions before beating Brighton 1-0 away in the Premier League on February 8. However, Palace came back down to earth with a surprising 3-2 home defeat to relegation-threatened Burnley last week, leaving them 13th in the table and eight points above the drop zone.

Recent results have been impacted by off-field issues, with Glasner confirming he will leave at the end of the season, captain Marc Guehi completing a move to Man City and Jean-Philippe Mateta seeing a deadline-day switch to AC Milan collapse. However, Palace broke their transfer record twice to bolster their squad in the winter window, bringing in Brennan Johnson (£33.5m) and then Jorgen Strand Larsen (£48m).

Palace will back themselves to come away from Bosnia with a positive result on Thursday, given they have won two of their three European away matches this term (L1) and have also fared better on the road in the Premier League (20 points away, 12 at home).

After being eliminated in the Conference League group stage on their European debut in 2023-24, Zrinjski Mostar qualified for the knockout stage of this season’s competition courtesy of a dramatic late equaliser in the dying embers of their final League Phase fixture.

A 93rd-minute own goal helped the Nobles rescue a 1-1 draw with Rapid Vienna and rise up to 23rd place in the 36-team table, sneaking into the playoff positions on goal difference after accumulating seven points in total from their six matches (W2 D1 L3).

Their standout result from the League Phase was an emphatic 5-0 home triumph over Lincoln Red Imps on matchday one, but Igor Stimac’s side are keen to forget the heavy 6-0 away defeat they suffered against Dynamo Kiev - the same team that Palace beat by a 2-0 scoreline in their opening match.

Zrinjski are the reigning Bosnian top-flight champions - nine-time winners in total - but they suffered a 3-0 defeat to title rivals Borac Banja Luka last weekend and have subsequently slipped four points behind them at the summit.

Nevertheless, Zrinjski head into Thursday’s clash with Palace having won their opening two competitive home games in 2026 by an aggregate score of 5-0 and are also unbeaten on their own turf in this season’s Conference League (W2 D1).

Zrinjski Mostar Conference League form:

Zrinjski Mostar form (all competitions):

Crystal Palace Conference League form:

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

Team News

Zrinjski Mostar have added five new signings to their Europa League squad - Dan Lagumdzija, Tomi Juric, Toni Majic, Adi Nalic and Tin Sajko - while Antonio Ilic, Darick Kobie Morris and Toma Palic have all been omitted.

In addition, Ilija Masic and Vitalie Damascan - who both played in four of Zrinjski’s six League Phase matches - as well as Jakov Pranjic and Darko Velkovski all departed the club during the January window, while Toni Sunjic (knee) is sidelined through injury.

Midfielder Neven Durasek is available to return, though, after serving a one-match ban in the draw with Rapid Vienna, and he could be joined in the starting lineup by centre-forward Nemanja Bilbija, who has scored a team-high 15 goals in all competitions this term.

As for Crystal Palace, Mateta, Cheick Doucoure (both knee) and Eddie Nketiah (thigh) are all ruled out with injuries, while Christantus Uche has been left out of the club’s updated Conference League squad.

However, January arrivals Johnson, Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand have all been added to the squad; the former of whom scored the match-winning goal for Tottenham in last season’s Europa League final and will be looking to force his way back into the first XI after beginning as a substitute against Burnley.

Strand Larsen, who netted his first two goals for Palace against Burnley, is set to continue up front, while the likes of Yeremy Pino, Will Hughes, Nathaniel Clyne, Borna Sosa, Chadi Riad and Jaydee Canvot will be hoping to earn a recall.

Zrinjski Mostar possible starting lineup:

G. Karacic; Memija, Barisic, Dujmovic, D. Karacic, Mamic; Savic, Durasek; Mikic, Bilbija, Cuze

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Riad; Clyne, Wharton, Hughes, Sosa; Johnson, Pino; Strand Larsen

We say: Zrinjski Mostar 1-3 Crystal Palace

Only one of Zrinjski’s last seven competitive matches has seen both teams score, and the Bosnian side failed to find the net in half of their League Phase fixtures. Palace have looked vulnerable at the back in recent games, though, which may hand the hosts a degree of confidence ahead of Thursday’s first leg.

However, Palace will be regarded as firm favourites to prevail, and even if Glasner decides to rest a few key players, the Eagles should have enough quality in their side to soar to victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.