Crystal Palace vs Zrinjski Prediction 26.02.2026 | Conference League

Crystal Palace head into this decisive second leg with a significant weight lifted from their shoulders, having finally secured their first home victory of 2026 thanks to a dramatic 90th-minute strike from Evan Guessand against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Oliver Glasner’s men had endured a gruelling winter spell prior to that triumph, managing just one win in 15 outings across all competitions — a worrying downturn that made their continental campaign feel like a welcome escape for both players and supporters alike.

Despite controlling large spells of the first leg in Mostar last week, Palace were unable to put the tie to bed, leaving the outcome finely balanced ahead of the return fixture. Still, their European pedigree — highlighted by a respectable 10-point haul in the league phase — offers genuine encouragement as they look to finish the job on home soil.

Team news, however, presents a challenge for the Austrian manager. Influential trio Cheick Doucoure, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Eddie Nketiah remain sidelined through injury, while Maxence Lacroix is a doubt after suffering an adductor issue in the first leg, potentially forcing further adjustments at the back.

Arriving in South London as the first Bosnian side ever to reach this stage of a major European knockout competition, Zrinjski carry genuine belief after their spirited display in the first leg, where they held Crystal Palace to a respectable 1-1 draw and kept the tie finely balanced.

While they successfully navigated a demanding league phase in this competition, their performances on the continental road have been far less convincing. Zrinjski have lost all three of their European away fixtures so far and failed to score in any of them, a worrying trend as they prepare for another stern test on foreign soil.

Matters were further complicated by their most recent outing, a heavy 3-0 defeat to Borac Banja Luka, which extended their winless run to three matches across all competitions and slightly dented the optimism surrounding their European adventure.

On the positive side, head coach Igor Stimac will have a fully fit squad at his disposal for what is undoubtedly the biggest match of the season. However, if Zrinjski are to script a historic upset on Thursday night, they must finally overcome their persistent struggles away from home and deliver a performance of remarkable discipline and belief.