Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi believes a first European tie can help give the club an “upgrade” – but warned it must not change their DNA.
The Seagulls host AEK Athens on Thursday night for their opening Europa League Group B fixture, with dates against Ajax and Marseille also on the horizon.
Tackling some of Europe’s best sides would have seemed like a distance pipedream back when the club’s very existence was under threat in the late 1990s, with the Goldstone Ground sold to pay off debts before Brighton endured spells playing at Gillingham and then Withdean.
The Amex Stadium, though, will be packed in expectation of what De Zerbi’s well-drilled team can go on to achieve – having won 3-1 at Manchester United to record a fourth win from the opening five Premier League games.
Brighton have been installed as second favourites for the Europa League behind Liverpool.
But De Zerbi remains determined to keep a sense of perspective. “We are improving, but we are not a big, big team yet – but we are a good team,” the Brighton boss said.
We believe in ourselves and the quality of the players, the level of the club, the quality of the play – but we are Brighton, we know our level
We have the ambition to become better and better, step by step in every competition and in every game.
De Zerbi told a press conference: “The way how we will play and can compete (in the Europa League) can give us an upgrade – but when I am speaking about, ‘we are Brighton’ it is because we cannot forget where we have started and who we were.
“We cannot lose our DNA – because if we think, ‘we are better’, then we make a big mistake.”