Brighton & Hove Albion’s attacking force, Ansu Fati, and defensive standout Tariq Lamptey are set for an extended spell on the sidelines due to injuries sustained over the weekend, as confirmed by manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Lamptey and Barcelona loanee Fati suffered injuries in the first half of Brighton’s triumphant 3-2 victory at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, marking the end of their six-game winless streak in the Premier League.
Ahead of their Europa League clash with AEK Athens this Thursday, Brighton is grappling with the absence of key players, including Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, Solly March, and Julio Enciso.
“Ansu and Lamptey are both injured,” Italian De Zerbi told reporters on Wednesday.
“We have lost them for a long time, I think.”
Currently sitting second in Group B with seven points from four games, Brighton trails behind Marseille by just one point. Despite a setback in their campaign opener against AEK, they now have the opportunity to redeem themselves in Athens.
Despite the extensive list of injuries posing a challenge, De Zerbi emphasized the importance of focusing on the available fit players to tackle the upcoming tasks.
“We will have to compete,” he added. “I don’t know if we will win, but we will fight to win the game for sure.”
