Europa League Preview: Getting To Know Brighton With the North ...

When you think of English sides playing in Europe, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal may be the first names that come to mind. Maybe even Tottenham, West Ham, or Chelsea. You’d be forgiven if Brighton wasn’t in the first handful of teams that you thought of representing the EPL in European competition.

But last year, Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton side cracked the top-six in England’s top flight for the first time ever and consequently qualified for this season’s Europa League. After winning a group that included Ajax, Marseilles, and AEK Athens, the Seagulls drew unseeded Roma after the Giallorossi dispatched Feyenoord in the playoff round.

So, to help us preview the match-up and get us up to speed on all things Brighton & Hove Albion, we picked the brain of Mike, a Brighton season ticket holder better known as the North Stand Seagull.

To start, Brighton hasn’t historically been a club that qualifies for Europe out of the Premier League. What has Brighton’s maiden voyage in the Europa League been for supporters like yourself?

It has been incredible like a dream, we are loving the moment.

How has management been able to build a club that has fought for the top six over the last couple of seasons, even after selling some of its top talents for big money to Premier League giants?

Our recruitment just seems to get more right than wrong. Much of it is down to data-driven analysis and to our Chairman Tony Bloom putting the right people in place—having succession planning. We don’t get it right all the time, but it seems we have got more right than wrong overall.

Graham Potter was the manager of the Seagulls at the start of this cycle before he left for Chelsea. He was replaced by Roberto De Zerbi, whom many of our readers are familiar with from his time with Sassuolo. What has De Zerbi continued that Potter started, and what has he changed?

Graham did some great things at our club and were devastated when he left. A lot of us didn’t really know much about Roberto, but he has taken us to another level. Sometimes the football is bonkers and sometimes it throws up a bizarre result, but most managers in he Premier League talk about how difficult his teams are to play against. Possession seems to have more purpose and scoring goals was a problem for us or turning possession into goals. Roberto has changed that. He is so loved. He wears his heart on his sleeve, but we love that Italian passion.

Brighton has been hampered by injuries this season and currently sits 8th in the table, but it won a tough Europa League group with Ajax, Marseilles, and AEK Athens. How would you evaluate the Seagulls' performance in the EPL and Europa League so far? What is your expectation the rest of the way in a tight race for the top six?

It was a massive group for us, but it would be fair to say we met Ajax at least at a good time, as they were struggling in the Dutch league. But even so, these teams are what most would consider big hitters in Europe, and it has certainly made people outside of England look at us in maybe a different light. Also, our start was bad, losing at home to Athens, so to come back from that and win the group was incredible. The Premier League progress has definitely been hampered by injuries, but we are still nicely placed. However, qualifying for Europe may be a lot tougher this year - Man United, Newcastle, Chelsea, and West Ham are all fighting with us for that spot.

Who have been Brighton’s top performers this season, and who will be key for the Seagulls over the two legs against Roma? Are any up and coming players Romanisti should be aware of in Brighton’s ranks?

As you say, we have been hit by injuries. We have lost Mitoma and maybe Pedro, our top scorer In Europe. However, we still have Simon Adingra on the wing, Danny Welbeck in attack, Lewis Dunk our skipper, and of course Ansu Fati who has yet to deliver consistently, but he loves the big stage so maybe this is his time.

Roma moved on from Jose Mourinho around the start of the new year and drastically altered its playstyle with the arrival of Daniele De Rossi. De Rossi’s footballing ideas are similar to those of De Zerbi, while Mourinho was much more defensive. Which of the two styles do you think De Zerbi would rather play against? What problems could Roma cause Brighton in playing a similar style?

Although Mourinho is a winner, his football is very pragmatic, and we have struggled against teams who play with a low block. We have had some of our best performances against the better teams who play a similar style to us, so maybe De Rossi, but clearly Roma are playing well, and results are looking good. The key for me will be the midfield and whether this is maybe a game too far for us. It’s going to be a tough but exciting challenge in one of the most beautiful and spectacular venues in the world.

Lastly, which matchups around the pitch do you see as being key to either side advancing?

Yes, I think the midfield is key for us, as is how we deal with the talent you have going forward. This season, defensively, we have conceded a lot. But bring it on! It’s the biggest game we would have played against a European giant—Forza Brighton!

We thank Mike for his Brighton insight, and we look forward to an exciting tie with his Brighton side.