Chelsea endured another humiliating defeat at the hands of Brighton, falling 3-0 at the Amex Stadium on Friday night—just days after being knocked out of the FA Cup by the same opposition.
The Seagulls capitalised on a disjointed Chelsea performance, securing the victory through goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh (2).
After the game, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler praised his team’s approach, highlighting their defensive structure and relentless pressing as key factors in the win.
“I wouldn’t say it was complete, we suffered at the start and then after the first goal we got slightly too passive. We defended quite well and that was the key today. Compactness, intensity and always doing it together,” Hurzeler stated.
Despite Brighton’s impressive display, Hurzeler remained modest, emphasising that the victory was about the team’s commitment rather than his managerial influence.
He said: “It is not about me. It is about the club and I give the best for the success of the club and to support my players. I get judged by the results but I will always give everything for the club, and in the end, the players are the most important. They need to show togetherness and I am happy for them.”
Reflecting on Brighton’s previous 7-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, Hurzeler acknowledged the challenges of football but urged for perspective.
“For me, the 7-0 (defeat by Nottingham Forest) is still a topic, but trust the process. It is only one game and we shouldn’t overanalyse now. It happens and we are very sorry to the supporters because they deserve more, but all the staff worked really hard to give the supporters a performance they deserved tonight.”
He also stressed the importance of maintaining standards through hard work and discipline.
“It is important to not overreact when you have positives as well. It is important to understand why we get these things—because of hard training. If we keep the standards, let’s see what happens.”
For Chelsea, the defeat adds further pressure on Enzo Maresca, with growing concerns over the team’s lack of cohesion and attacking threat. Brighton, meanwhile, continue their strong form under Hurzeler, proving their ability to compete at the highest level.