[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs AFC Ajax *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Albion v Ajax

EUROPA LEAGUE

Venue: The American Express Stadium
Date: Thursday 26th October 2023
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Referee: Bartosz Frankowski
Assistants: Marcin Boniek , Jakub Winkler
Fourth Official: Patryk Gryckiewicz
VAR: Piotr Lasyk
Additional VAR: Massimiliano Irrati
UEFA Referee Observer: Lucílio Cardoso Cortez Batista
UEFA Delegate: Alojzije Šupraha


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Brighton & Hove Albion boss Robert de Zerbi believes Ajax's rich European history means they have to be wary of the Dutch side - but says his team can win if they are at their best.

The sides meet at Amex Stadium on Thursday in Europa League Group B.

Ajax have won numerous European trophies but have had a poor start to the season and coach Maurice Steijn left this week by mutual consent.

"Ajax are in not a very good moment but they are still Ajax," said De Zerbi.

"The history of the club is incredible and unbelievable, and we expect a lot from them.

"But we are Brighton and when we play in a good way, what we're able to do, I think we have a chance to win the game."

Brighton have picked up just one point from their two Europa League games so far and their cause has not been helped by injuries to Solly March and Danny Welbeck.

Winger March has a knee injury while striker Welbeck has a muscle issue.

The duo join Julio Enciso, Jakub Moder, Pervis Estupinan and Tariq Lamptey as the latest long-term casualties for the Seagulls.

Roberto De Zerbi and Joel Veltman's Ajax Press Conference

 

[Brok]

Into the next round tonight please lads, no excuses.

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Brighton v Ajax in a competitive football fixture. Teehee!

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This game could be season defining.

 

[OzMike]

I will be asleep for this one and expect to wake and find more points on the Euro table.

The Ajax badge looks like a beer bottle label !

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

It’s spookily quite in Brighton this morning, don’t forget your scarf and mittens tonight folks.

let’s hope we do ourselves justice tonight, like we did in the second half in Marseille.

UTA

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's got nil-all written all over it

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

It's got nil-all written all over it

If you can stick a tenner on that, I will feel more confident that it won’t be.

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[dstanman]

Looking forward to this game. Hopefully will be a great atmosphere and more importantly 3 points. Line up will be interesting but expect Igor at left back

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Never mind that we want to win, tonight we need to win if we hope to progress I the Europa League. I know it’s Ajax but they haven’t got Cruyf anymore so we have to go for it with best team RDZ can cobble together.
It is a good time to play them when they are on a bad run , so ….. Ajax ? Let’s take ‘em to the cleaners

 

[Hugo Rune]

Looking forward to this game. Hopefully will be a great atmosphere and more importantly 3 points. Line up will be interesting but expect Igor at left back

Let’s not get stage fright like we did against Athens. Ajax are there for the taking but we need to play well. Another Athens style performance and we could easily lose or draw.

 

[jcdenton08]

Expect us to lift the trophy this morning, no excuses

 

[dwayne]

Biggest game of the season so far. NO SILLY MISTAKES , NO EXCUSES.

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Looking forward to at least one Pascal Cruyff turn..

 

[BN41Albion]

Let’s not get stage fright like we did against Athens. Ajax are there for the taking but we need to play well. Another Athens style performance and we could easily lose or draw.

I'm confident we won't get stage fright tonight following the 2nd half marseille performance. We're settling into the Europa League now (hopefully) - I expect us to come out of the traps strongly tonight knowing we really need a win

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but I think the referee listed is wrong and needs changing.

We’re loose.

 

[Krafty]

BIG game this. We have to win!

 

[dwayne]

Let’s not get stage fright like we did against Athens. Ajax are there for the taking but we need to play well. Another Athens style performance and we could easily lose or draw.

Feels like a very low key build up so far from both teams for what is a big game. Both nervous after poor runs of form. Really feel like them having a caretaker manager for this game is bad for us as he is indicating he will go ultra defensive (which is very unajax like)