Brighton & Hove Albion will aim to extend their impressive run of results when they travel to the Czech Republic to face Jablonec in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.
Fabian Hürzeler’s side arrive at Stadion Střelnice after a stunning 5-0 victory over rivals Crystal Palace, their biggest win against the Eagles since 1956. Brighton have also made an encouraging start to their European campaign, beating Kauno Žalgiris 4-0 in their opening league-phase fixture to move to the top of the standings after the first round.
Jablonec, meanwhile, will be looking to respond after losing 3-2 away to Freiburg. Although the Czech side were beaten by last season’s Europa League finalists, their two goals demonstrated that they can pose a threat against established European opposition.
Hürzeler has been quick to dismiss any suggestion that Brighton could approach the match without sufficient respect for their opponents. The German coach highlighted Jablonec’s performances against both Freiburg and Rangers, insisting that the hosts have earned the right to be taken seriously.
“This is the Conference League, there is no weak opponent in it. We will underestimate nobody, and that includes Jablonec.”
The Brighton manager also pointed to Jablonec’s organisation without the ball and their ability to restrict opponents’ chances, warning that his players would need to deliver a high-level performance to secure another three points.
“Our opponent has quality. In the qualifying rounds they eliminated Rangers and last week they played a very good match in Freiburg. There is no reason to talk about a miracle.”
Both quotations are translated from Czech-language reporting of Hürzeler’s pre-match press conference.
Brighton’s recent form provides plenty of reasons for confidence. They have collected 16 points from their opening seven Premier League matches and scored 23 goals, the highest total in the division at that stage. Their 5-0 win over Palace extended their winning run to six matches in all competitions, while their opening European victory further strengthened their credentials as contenders for the trophy.
However, the trip to Jablonec begins a demanding spell of five consecutive away matches. Hürzeler is expected to make changes to his starting line-up, balancing the need to maintain momentum with the physical demands of a busy schedule.
Brighton continue to have several injury concerns. Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh remain unavailable, while Mats Wieffer is also working towards a return. Pascal Struijk and Femi Azeez are doubts, with their fitness requiring further assessment. Minteh and Wieffer are making progress, but neither was included in Brighton’s Conference League league-phase squad.
Jablonec manager Luboš Kozel has acknowledged the scale of the challenge, describing Brighton as one of the strongest opponents his club could face in the competition. He has been particularly impressed by their attacking output and the intensity of their pressing.
“We recognise the strength of the third-placed team in the English Premier League. They have scored the most goals and conceded the fewest. We are facing top quality.”
Translated from Kozel’s pre-match press conference, published by Jablonec.
Despite his respect for the visitors, Kozel has made clear that his team will not consider the contest lost before kick-off. He wants Jablonec to remain disciplined defensively while looking for opportunities to exploit any weaknesses in Brighton’s play.
“We must start with a good defensive performance and defend well. We will try to take advantage of the weaker moments of our opponents.”
Translated from Czech.
Former Brighton player Jiří Skalák has also offered an insight into the hosts. Speaking to Brighton’s official website, the Czech former midfielder described Jablonec as a well-organised team that has made progress in recent years, highlighting the experience within their squad alongside opportunities for younger players.
Skalák believes the home side could make the contest uncomfortable for Brighton if they execute their tactics effectively. He also identified goalkeeper Jan Hanuš, left-back Jiří Sláma and forward Jan Chramosta as players worth watching, although he stressed that Jablonec’s collective work is more important than individual star power.
The hosts have reasons to believe they can make life difficult for their visitors. Jablonec are unbeaten in their last seven European home matches, winning five and drawing two, and won all three of their home Conference League qualifiers without conceding a goal. Their supporters will hope that familiar surroundings can help them challenge one of the competition’s leading sides.
Jablonec will be without Kevin-Prince Milla and Kryštof Karban, who remain long-term injury absentees. Lamin Jawo and Jan Suchan are also expected to miss out, according to the club’s pre-match updates.
Brighton, meanwhile, may look to Georginio Rutter for attacking inspiration after he scored twice against Kauno Žalgiris in the opening round. With the visitors expected to rotate, opportunities could also arise for players seeking to establish themselves in Hürzeler’s European plans.
For Brighton, another victory would strengthen their position in the league phase and provide further evidence of their progress under Hürzeler. For Jablonec, a positive result against Premier League opposition would be a major achievement and a boost to their European ambitions.
The visitors possess greater squad depth and arrive in stronger form, but Jablonec’s home record and disciplined approach suggest this will not necessarily be straightforward. Brighton will need to combine their attacking quality with patience and defensive concentration if they are to return to England with another European win.
