Brighton & Hove Albion are “paying a big price” for their Uefa Europa League participation this season, manager Roberto De Zerbi has said after naming an injury list of nine players for the Seagulls’ trip to Burnley on Saturday.
The European debutants reached the last 16 of the competition but have won one of their last seven domestic matches, with wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Solly March and full-back Jack Hinshelwood among their long-term absentees.
Striker Evan Ferguson, attacking midfielder Julio Enciso and wideman Tariq Lamptey are out, and De Zerbi said midfielder Billy Gilmour, centre-back Adam Webster and versatile veteran James Milner will return “in the next weeks”.
Read our other football news stories here:
Frank scoffs at Toney reports
Wolves given Hwang boost
Premier League: Iraola and Muniz scoop March awards
“The situation is tough,” said the Italian, who has been linked with the upcoming vacancies at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
“[Hinshelwood] was very important for us. We have a chance to reach Europe [but] it’s tough.”
Burnley v Brighton: De Zerbi wants Europe
Brighton are one of eight teams who could realistically claim the final two positions of sixth and seventh which would ensure European football in 2024/25.
Tenth with seven games of their season remaining, De Zerbi’s side are five points behind seventh-placed West Ham United – who have a game less to play – and six shy of Manchester United in sixth.
Bring on Burnley. 👊 #BURBHA 🔜 pic.twitter.com/ZpLzBZ3rN0
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 12, 2024
“I would like to play again next season in Europe because this season we are paying a big price of our first experience of the Europa League,” said De Zerbi. “The second one can be easier.”
Albion won their Europa League group in dramatic fashion courtesy of an 88th-minute Joao Pedro goal in their final match of the section at home to Marseille.
The Brazil forward was the top scorer in the competition at the time but did not play in their 4-1 aggregate defeat to Roma in the first knockout round because of injury.
Second-bottom Burnley are six points from safety with six games of their season to play and a vastly inferior goal difference on fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest.
Vincent Kompany’s Clarets were on a four-game unbeaten run before losing 1-0 at Everton last Saturday.
