Crystal Palace Vs Zrinjski — Chaotic Palace season could still end in glory after 2-0 win

Why this shift matters now: crystal palace vs zrinjski was the match that kept Palace’s European hopes alive and pushed the campaign into a consequence phase where a single draw and the remaining league position will shape whether the season is salvaged with silverware or remembered for turmoil. The 2-0 home win completed a 3-1 aggregate and sends Palace into the Conference League last 16 while their domestic standing and managerial saga continue to influence outcomes.

What changes next for Palace after sealing last-16 progress

The immediate consequence is a concrete European fixture list to follow: Palace will discover their last-16 opponents in the draw on Friday at 13: 00 GMT. That draw compresses uncertainty into a binary moment that will determine whether Palace face one of the familiar opponents they met earlier in the campaign or a new test — and it reallocates focus across squad management, fan relations and the remainder of the league season.

Crystal Palace Vs Zrinjski: match snapshot and key moments

Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand scored at Selhurst Park as Palace beat Bosnian side Zrinjski 2-0 on the night to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory and reach the Conference League last 16. The tie had been in the balance after a 1-1 draw away in the first leg, and Zrinjski had a chance to equalise late in that match before Guessand settled the tie in the return.

Manager, players and the season’s upheaval

The backdrop to that result is an unusually volatile 12 months for Palace. In May the club won its first major trophy with an FA Cup victory over Manchester City, and they added the Community Shield three months later a penalty shootout win over Liverpool. Since then a number of key departures and transfer dramas unfolded: winger Eberechi Eze left for Arsenal; skipper Marc Guehi was close to joining Liverpool and later moved to Manchester City five months on; top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta came close to signing for AC Milan only for a medical to fail.

Manager Oliver Glasner announced in January he planned to leave at the end of the season and publicly told the club’s board they had "abandoned" the squad. That seemed to mark the end of his tenure, yet he has remained in charge and has told the board he has "100%" assurance of his job. Fans earlier displayed a banner before the 1-0 win over Wolves that said he was "finished".

Where Palace stand domestically and what it implies

Palace sit 13th in the Premier League, 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only three points from eighth place — a gap that could be high enough to secure a European return next season. Glasner points to player performance and group togetherness as evidence his position is secure, arguing that if the players believe in him and the staff then results should follow.

European context and the broader midweek results

The club’s European campaign continues after a demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League following last season’s FA Cup success; Palace’s first European campaign will now continue against either Larnaca — who Palace lost to during the group stages — or Mainz from Germany, depending on the draw. Meanwhile this was one night among many across European competition: Celta Vigo advanced 3-1 on aggregate with Williot Swedberg’s decisive goal, setting up a last-16 tie versus either Aston Villa or Lyon; Lille overturned a first-leg deficit to win 2-0 at Red Star Belgrade with goals from Olivier Giroud and Nathan Ngoy in extra time and are also potential opposition for Villa or Lyon in Friday’s draw; Ferencvaros overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to win 2-0 and knock out Ludogorets Razgrad; a Hungarian side progressed thanks to first-half goals from Gabi Kanichowsky and Kristoffer Zachariassen and will face Porto or Braga, one of which will also face Stuttgart despite Stuttgart’s home defeat to Celtic; Luke McCowan’s 28-second goal was the Europa League’s fastest in 10 years but the hosts still prevailed 4-2 on aggregate; Panathinaikos advanced on penalties after a 1-1 draw made their tie 3-3 on aggregate; Milos Pantovic scored the decisive spot-kick in that shootout and Midtjylland or Real Betis await in the next round; Nottingham Forest progressed against Fenerbahce and are potential opponents for Midtjylland or Betis; Bologna beat 10-man Brann 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate to set up a last-16 tie (further detail unclear in the provided context).

One operational note from the home match: a supporters’ request to turn off music during the pre-match warm-up so they could "back the team" was rejected on the grounds that UEFA regulations would not allow it. A large group of travelling supporters who took up position two hours before kick-off helped create atmosphere despite many empty seats; during the first half the Holmesdale Fanatics displayed the message "40 quid? Palace fans fleeced = empty seats. "

• Palace beat Zrinjski 2-0 at Selhurst Park to win the tie 3-1 on aggregate and reach the Conference League last 16.
• Draw for last-16 opponents is on Friday at 13: 00 GMT — that draw changes Palace’s European schedule and preparation.
• Season context: FA Cup win in May, Community Shield win three months later, several key departures and transfer sagas.
• Managerial situation remains unsettled in tone: Glasner announced a planned exit in January, criticised the board, yet remains and says he has "100%" job assurance.
• Domestic position: 13th in the Premier League, 10 points clear of relegation, three points from eighth.

Here’s the part that matters: the draw on Friday converts a long-running narrative of noise and unrest into a concrete opponent and a timetable for European focus. The real question now is whether Palace can channel that togetherness the manager cites into consistent results across both competitions.

It’s easy to overlook, but the mix of recent trophies, transfer turmoil and supporter unrest makes this outcome unusually consequential for club direction and fan relations moving forward.

Note: a separate match commentary blog was unavailable at the time of the provided coverage.