Fabian Hurzeler’s press conference: Norwich vs Brighton preview

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup third round match against norwich city (start at 15:00 GMT).

These are the key lines from his press conference:

There are “some issues” in the squad with Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer all unavailable due to injuries. There are doubts over Danny Welbeck’s availability but he will be assessed again on Friday.
Joao Pedro will also miss the game after “spraining his ankle in training”, with the club waiting for an MRI to detect the striker’s injury, while the game comes “too soon” for new signing Diego Gomez.
Despite the injuries, Hurzeler is confident his team will remain “very competitive and strong enough to win the game.” He seeks to “give consistency to the squad” and “build relationships on the field” so that there are not too many changes in his starting eleven.
On what the FA Cup means to him: “It’s similar to the Carabao Cup. It’s a competition where you have a chance to win a title. There are a lot of good opponents in this cup competition, but in the end it’s just one.” game, and in a game everything is possible.
After eight games without a win, the Seagulls are looking to win again against a “great rival” in Norwich: “It’s going to be a difficult game. They play very well, they try to play and build from the beginning. They have good individual players at the back.”
He anticipates that the trip to Carrow Road will be “a tough slog” and that they “can’t underestimate” the Championship team. The players will be prepared “physically and mentally” for a “great fight” and a “great atmosphere.”
Hurzeler is aware of the “individual quality” of Norwich’s offensive line: “Borja Sainz is a very good one-on-one player. He makes the difference because he scores a lot of goals and gives a lot of assists. So we have to defend well, press with intensity and be very compact in a low block to keep them out, otherwise they can cause a lot of danger.
On the opportunity to bring the team back to Wembley, after the Seagulls were knocked out by Manchester United in the 2023 FA Cup semi-finals: “I’ve spoken to Andrew Crofts about this. Although I didn’t experience it myself, he shared “It was a great experience to be at Wembley, to play there and to come so far in this tournament. That should be our goal again this season. In a game we can beat everyone. We have to believe in that.”