Brighton manager De Zerbi commends players despite falling 3-2 in European debut

Brighton’s manager De Zerbi has praised his players after they fell to a disappointing 3-2 defeat in their European debut against AEK Athens.

Despite the defeat, the club’s manager Roberto De Zerbi took a moment to commend his players in the dressing room for their performance in the clash.

Reflecting on the match, De Zerbi said, “We conceded three goals, two in set pieces and one incredible goal, the third.

“We made some mistakes in the final third, for example, the chance of Joao Pedro in the second half, or the chance for Igor in the first half. But in terms of the quality of play, we played a very good game, I think,” De Zerbi added

He also expressed that while they may not have had the same experience as AEK Athens, they dominated the game. “We controlled the game, we dominated the game. And we are sad for the result.”

Acknowledging the disappointment of not securing a win for their fans and the club, De Zerbi stressed the importance of learning from their experience and striving for improvement.

He noted that there is a need for increased focus and smart defending, particularly in set-piece situations, against formidable opponents like AEK Athens.