Brighton heads into Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Nottingham Forest with a chance to make history, but Fabian Hurzeler is adamant about keeping his team grounded.
The Seagulls are one of four clubs still in the competition that have never claimed a major trophy, alongside Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Fulham.
With many of the Premier League's traditional powerhouses already eliminated—only a struggling Manchester City remain from the so-called 'big six'—there’s a growing sense that this could be the year for a fresh face to lift the prestigious cup.
Saturday’s winners will earn a spot at Wembley, but Hurzeler is committed to ensuring his players stay focused, disregarding the occasion’s excitement.
"Of course we feel it but for me, it's important we don't make it artificially big," Hurzeler said. "Of course, it's an important game but it's like all the other games as well because in all the games we can improve ourselves, in all the games we have to go to the limit.
"I am not trying to make it artificially big, we all know it's a big opportunity, a big chance but it's like all the other games as well."
The German was clear his attitude did not reflect any lack of belief in his players to do something big this season.
"There are three things that made us strong in the past – intensity, we try to outwork and outrun opponents," he said. "We need to have togetherness – we need to stick together not only in good phases but also in negative phases.
"The last thing is, in this phase of the season, we need to have the belief. And I have the biggest belief in this group – the belief that they can win and that they can achieve a season everyone remembers.
"But if you want to show all three things then it's important we don't force it."
The prospect of Wembley was not the only topic off-limits for Hurzeler ahead of Forest's visit.
At the start of February Chris Wood scored a hat-trick as Nuno Espirito Santo's side inflicted a 7-0 thrashing on Brighton at the City Ground, their heaviest defeat in 67 years.
"I won't discuss it," Hurzeler said.
"The players took a lot of ownership and a lot of responsibility and they said we have to go back to the things that made us strong and things that make us strong are working together, showing intensity and this belief that we can beat every team in the league."
Who will win this game?
1 Comment (last comment by identty)
First read message
By identty 29 Mar 2025 09:04
I think Brighton will win, they're probably motivated by the fact they got beaten 7-0.
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