IN RUDE HEALTH
Seagulls’ wings not clipped yet
ROBERTO DE ZERBI has branded Brighton’s Europa League thrashing in Roma a “rude awakening” – but insists they can still qualify for Europe next season.
Albion host Nottingham Forest tomorrow after winning only two Premier League games this year and slipping down to ninth place.
The Italian had declared his love for the club on his return to his homeland but then insisted the 4-0 defeat must be a lesson for the club, including owner Tony Bloom, after they took their home form on to the continent.
It was the clearest expression of his frustration at the lack of investment in the transfer market after finishing sixth last season and selling Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
And it was a stark reminder in the Eternal City that nothing lasts forever, before the Seagulls’ enjoyable first European season comes to an inevitable end in the second leg on Thursday.
“The real problem is that we struggle to play three games a week with 13, 14, 15 players available,” said De Zerbi (inset). “That also explains why we have so many injured players.
“We are a small club that has achieved something historic and is now clinging on to Europe with its fingernails, despite many injuries. Finding the energy to play 90 minutes in the Premier League, then another 90 in the Europa League.
“I had already understood during the warm-up that we were not ready, so much so that I spoke to the team in the dressing room before going out again. If you don’t have the ability to rotate, you are running on empty. It is a rude awakening.”
Brighton are relaxed about De Zerbi’s words and future. He is popular and happy there and has a £12m buyout clause, while the club have no doubt already identified his successor, just like after Graham Potter. The only upside to the club’s indifferent form and long injury list – top scorer Joao Pedro has been badly missed – is that Evan Ferguson and Kaoru Mitoma are less likely to be sold this summer.
Captain Lewis Dunk was at fault for Romelu Lukaku’s second goal but De Zerbi said: “Dunk has always been an example for this team. From a leadership and character standpoint, being an example, I have zero doubts about him.” And after being given a lesson in their first knockout tie by a Roma team that has reached European finals in the last two seasons, he added: “Our players have never played at this level, in these stadiums, at this stage of the competition. “Dunk is not used to playing at this level. He committed that error with Lukaku because he has never played at this level.”
But the Italian added: “I believe in the Premier League we can still fight to qualify for European football.”