Soccer-Brighton cannot afford to 'lose their DNA', says De Zerbi

AFC Ajax NV

20/09/2023 15:14

Sept 20 (Reuters) - Brighton & Hove Albion cannot make
the mistake of overestimating themselves in their first-ever
game in European competition, manager Roberto de Zerbi said on
Wednesday.
    Brighton, who finished sixth in the Premier League last
season to secure qualification for the Europa League, face AEK
Athens in their Group B opener on Thursday.
    "We cannot forget where we started and who we were. We can't
lose our DNA. If we think that we are better then we are, then
we make a big mistake," De Zerbi told reporters ahead of the
home game against the Greek champions.
    "If we want to become bigger than this competition, then we
still have to compete at this level first.
    "We have studied AEK a lot. They are a good team, very
aggressive with and without the ball. It will be a very tough
game."
    Brighton face a difficult task in their bid to progress past
the group stage, where they will also come up against former
champions Ajax Amsterdam and three-time finalists Olympique de
Marseille.
    "Our group is one of the stronger groups but for us it is
better. If we want to win in this moment we have to compete
against the best teams," De Zerbi said.
    Brighton are fresh off the back of an impressive 3-1 Premier
League win at Manchester United, but the Italian urged his side
to wipe the result from their minds, adding: "The challenge of
this year is to forget the game we play the day before and to
focus only on the next game.
    "To keep the result and the good emotion but to forget other
things. The game in Manchester is finished. We have to think
only about the next game."

 (Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
 ((Aadi.Nair@thomsonreuters.com;))