After it was revealed that Jurgen Klopp would be leaving Liverpool, De Zerbi was forced to deal with unanticipated questions regarding his future at Brighton.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi said he admired Jurgen Klopp and could not confirm any news on an extension of his contract as he is being linked with the Liverpool position.
When asked about his future after being challenged about the role’s unexpected availability in the summer, the Seagulls manager—who is currently ranked second in the bookies’ early rankings to succeed Klopp at the end of the season—was largely evasive.
In other places, De Zerbi gave updates on Ansu Fati, Julio Enciso, and Igor Julio while praising Sheffield United, their next opponent.
On Saturday afternoon, the Seagulls and Blades square off in the FA Cup Fourth Round, with De Zerbi’s team hoping to repeat a run to the Semi-Finals from the previous year.
Klopp’s legacy is commended
The main topic of discussion during the press conference was De Zerbi’s friendship with the German, since Klopp’s unexpected announcement from Anfield on Friday morning took any attention on transfer rumors or player fitness.
There was an overall air of total reverence.
De Zerbi expressed his sadness, saying, “The Premier League is losing one of the best coaches in the world if he changes leagues.”
“I’m sad about [the news] and I think [Klopp, Pep] Guardiola, [Carlo] Ancelotti, and [Marcelo] Bielsa are some of the best coaches in the world.”
When asked about the same issue, another renownedly passionate manager, De Zerbi, responded that Klopp’s decision to step down in the summer was primarily motivated by exhaustion.
It’s quite difficult; you must have energy. The Italian remarked, “You have to keep pushing every day in order to be able to get better every day.
You must study since football is a developing sport, and if you don’t put in the necessary effort, you’ll lose other things. You can’t stop improving or learning about new concepts, games, coaches, or ideas.
But when asked if he had been contacted about the post, De Zerbi was rather less forthcoming with his response.
De Zerbi stated, “I’m just focused on the last portion of the season; there isn’t any news regarding my contract.”
We’re going to participate in a historic portion of the season as competitors. We are playing in the FA Cup, the Europa League Round of 16, and the Premier League, where we are vying to win the same trophy as the previous year.
He continued, “I’ll keep my eyes on my team.”
Major players coming back
Following the announcement regarding Klopp, curiosity centered on which players would be available for Saturday’s Seagulls trip to Sheffield United.
Overall, good news was anticipated, but De Zerbi advised patience with one important player.
De Zerbi stated, “Ansu Fati is not ready yet and we do not want to take a risk with him.”
“Julio’s Igor is good. He can play and he is better.
After being spotted this week beginning his rehabilitation with on-pitch training, Julio Enciso, another absentee, was brought up.
De Zerbi remarked, “I’m seeing [Enciso] with a smile, happy, and this is very good for us.”
The same holds true for Ansu Fati, Adingra, and Mitoma. We are working hard and pushing. I would prefer to have the entire team.
De Zerbi also expressed his enthusiasm at having nearly a complete squad to pick from, with Igor returning and at least four players due back in the next two to three weeks.
When it comes to choosing the starting lineup, the Italian stated, “I’m excited to make mistakes.”
However, I enjoy making errors. It is extremely easy to make mistakes when there are 13 or 14 players, so I want this room for error.
Hailed as a significant test, Blades
If Brighton can make it through a challenging trip to South Yorkshire, they are predicted to go far in the competition once more, following their run to the FA Cup Semi-Finals in De Zerbi’s debut season.
Sheffield United is seen as a formidable test for Brighton’s objectives because they also advanced to the Semi-Finals in 2022–2023 and had an incredible cup history under manager Chris Wilder’s initial tenure with the team.
It’s going to be another challenging day, especially tomorrow. However, to get there
“We are aware of the game’s degree of difficulty. We shall lose the game if we don’t give it our all.
Given that De Zerbi’s only managerial victories to date have come from cup competitions with Foggia and Shakhtar Donetsk, the FA Cup may present Brighton with De Zerbi’s best chance of success.
The Italian was gushing over the world’s oldest cup competition.
“As soon as I moved to the UK, I realized how important the FA Cup was,” he stated.
“I want to make it to the FA Cup Final or Semi-Final. I am aware of how challenging that is.
