Zrinjski vs Crystal Palace prediction 19.02.2026 | Conference League

Zrinjski have another solid season in domestic football, sitting second in the standings, four points behind Borac Banja Luka. In the Conference League, the team from Mostar left some bigger teams behind them and sneaked into the knockout phase. However, Zrinjski's form is far from its peak, as Igor Stimac's team first had problems beating Sloga Doboj and, in the previous round, lost 3-0 on the road against Borac Banja Luka. Zrinjski will have to show much more on Thursday against Crystal Palace to have any chances against the English side.

Zrinjski's head coach, Igor Stimac, was obviously disappointed after a tough defeat in Banja Luka. He said, "We weren't mobile enough, we didn't have a clear basic idea that we consistently implement, how to get behind the opponent with speed, quality, and a good vertical pass. Above all, we failed in the simple pass, too often giving the ball straight to the opponent, and that's where all our problems started. We complicated things for ourselves and didn't deserve anything from this match. We need to congratulate Borac on their deserved victory and turn our focus to Thursday."

Slobodan Jakovljevic is injured and will not play on Thursday night against Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace are on their usual mid-table Premier League level this season. In the Conference League, they were two points short of a direct place in the 1/8 final. Crystal Palace struggled recently, with only one victory in the last 14 matches across all competitions. In the previous game, they lost 3-2 at home against Burnley. The hosts ended with xG of 1.80, while the guests had only 0.53, but Crystal Palace still remained empty-handed. 

Crystal Palace are not playing well, but the manager, Oliver Glasner, is safe in his position. His contract will expire in a couple of months, and he has already announced his intention to leave the club for a bigger challenge. 

Crystal Palace didn't play over the weekend, so they will have six days to prepare for the match in Mostar. That could be one of the decisive factors for Thursday's tie. 

Cheick Doucoure and Jean-Philippe Mateta are injured and will not travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina.