Crystal Palace are heavy favourites to see off Zrinjski; punters might back Palace to win the tie on aggregate and consider Palace -1.5 (Asian handicap). Other clear bets: AZ Alkmaar, Fiorentina and Lech Poznan to progress, while KuPS, Noah or Shkendija may offer value in outrights or double-chance markets if you seek longer odds.
Europa Conference League — Knockout Round Play-offs: Fixtures, Dates and Betting Angles
The Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs are set with first legs on Feb. 19 and return legs on Feb. 26. The ties pit established European sides against smaller clubs from lesser leagues, producing predictable favourites but also potential upsets for value-seeking punters.
First leg — Feb. 19 (Fixtures)
Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina) vs Crystal Palace (England) KuPS Kuopio (Finland) vs Lech Poznan (Poland) Noah (Armenia) vs AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) Jagiellonia Bialystok (Poland) vs Fiorentina (Italy) Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic) vs Lausanne (Switzerland) Shkendija (North Macedonia) vs Samsunspor (Turkey) Drita (Kosovo) vs Celje (Slovenia) Omonoia (Cyprus) vs Rijeka (Croatia)
Second leg — Feb. 26 (Fixtures)
Crystal Palace (England) vs Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina) Lech Poznan (Poland) vs KuPS Kuopio (Finland) AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) vs Noah (Armenia) Fiorentina (Italy) vs Jagiellonia Bialystok (Poland) Lausanne (Switzerland) vs Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic) Samsunspor (Turkey) vs Shkendija (North Macedonia) Celje (Slovenia) vs Drita (Kosovo) Rijeka (Croatia) vs Omonoia (Cyprus)
Advanced directly to Round of 16
Strasbourg (France), Rakow (Poland), AEK Athens (Greece), Sparta Prague (Czech Republic), Rayo Vallecano (Spain), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Mainz (Germany), AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)
Match-by-match notes and betting outlook
Crystal Palace vs Zrinjski — Palace enter as clear favourites; stellar defensive form in the Premier League suggests a bet on Palace to win the tie on aggregate or an Asian handicap selection. Expect rotation risk but still a dominant tie for Palace.
KuPS vs Lech Poznan — Lech are the stronger side on paper; consider Lech to advance, while KuPS can be backed in specific markets (double chance or home win) if seeking surprise value.
Noah vs AZ Alkmaar — AZ should progress comfortably. Punters can look at AZ to qualify and overs in the tie if Noah push forward.
Jagiellonia vs Fiorentina — Fiorentina are favourites but often rotate in Europe; backing Fiorentina to advance is solid, while Jagiellonia may provide value in both teams to score markets.
Sigma Olomouc vs Lausanne — Likely a tight encounter; markets like both teams to score or under/over 2.5 could be appealing.
Shkendija vs Samsunspor — Samsunspor are expected to progress, but Shkendija may offer outright value for upset-driven punters.
Drita vs Celje — Even matchup on paper; consider double-chance or draw no bet for safety.
Omonoia vs Rijeka — Close tie; Rijeka and Omonoia both possess the capacity to tilt the second leg. Markets to watch: away goals impact and narrow-score predictions.
How punters should approach these ties
Favor established European outfits (Crystal Palace, AZ, Fiorentina, Lech Poznan) for progression in straight markets. For higher returns, target underdogs and specific match markets: double chance, both teams to score, Asian handicaps, and outright outrights on smaller clubs in home legs. Manage stakes around rotation risk and two-legged dynamics — first legs often set up conservative second-leg strategies.
UECL | Fiorentina 0-1 AEK Athens: Crisis goes from bad to worse
First leg Feb. 19 Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina) vs. Crystal Palace (England) Noah (Armenia) vs.
Apnews
