Brighton seek to take something precious from Athens back to UK

At the end of the week when a diplomatic row broke out between the United Kingdom and Greece over the Elgin Marbles, Brighton will be hoping to plunder something precious of their own from Athens – three Europa League points.

A win over AEK combined with Marseille beating Ajax at the Stade Velodrome will guarantee the Albion continuing in the competition post-Christmas. That in itself is some achievement, given the slow start the Seagulls made to their European adventure.

AEK Athens provided Brighton with their first ever Europa League opposition at the Amex back in September. It is probably fair to say that a lot of Seagulls supporters came into that historic night with a false sense of confidence.

The Albion could compete and beat the best teams in the Premier League; opponents from Greece would be a doddle in comparison.

We soon found out the difference between domestic and Europa League football. AEK arrived with a game plan and carried it out to perfection, using their European experience and nous to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Brighton.

It was a similar story during the opening 45 minutes away in Marseille for Europa League game two. The hosts led 2-0 at half time as the Albion once again looked overawed by the occasion.

But then in the second half, Brighton found their feet. Not many sides recover from a two-goal deficit in the febrile atmosphere of the Velodrome. The Albion did.

In front of your very eyes, you could see Brighton learning what it takes to thrive on the European stage and growing to be able to compete.

After that, back-to-back 2-0 wins over Ajax followed to leave Roberto De Zerbi and his players on the cusp of a top two finish in Group B.

Winning at the OPAP Arena will not be easy. A hostile home crowd will create an intimidating atmosphere, knowing their team is in the last chance saloon when it comes to their own hopes of remaining in the Europa League.

That is before you consider the ever-lengthening absentee list Brighton are suffering from. It is hard to keep up with what has happened to who, but somewhere around 11 players could be ruled out injured and Jan Paul van Hecke is suspended.

On the plus side, neither Lewis Dunk or Mahmoud Dahoud are banned for continental competition. Both can start, complete the 90 and then know they are sitting in the stands for upcoming Premier League matches against Chelsea and Brentford.

The only other selection plus is De Zerbi has confirmed Igor Julio is fit enough to play, which does at least strengthen what is otherwise a very stretched back line.

Igor joins Dunk and Veltman as the only available senior centre backs. But use Veltman in the middle and you then do not have a right back. As for left back, even with Igor available, the Albion are more fucked than the Greek economy in 2009.

And unlike Greece, Brighton do not have the European Union or International Monetary Fund to bail them out… unless Angela Merkel fancies dusting off her football boots and taking over from Pervis Estupinan/Tariq Lamptey/Solly March/James Milner/Igor at left back.

Kaoru Mitoma and James Milner both joined in training at the OPAP Arena. Whether De Zerbi will throw either in remains to be seen.

Estupinan and Lamptey are both facing long layoffs having broken down in the comeback matches after being rushed back.

There is a lesson there; for one player to get injured within 45 minutes of their return is unfortunate. For it to happen twice in the space of month suggests better management is needed.

Whilst De Zerbi ponders who is and is not fit enough to be in the XI those Brighton fans out in Athens will be pinching themselves once again.

A shade over 25 years ago in November 1998, the Albion suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Halifax Town in front of 3,305 spectators at the Priestfield Stadium.

Cold chicken nuggets standing on the Rainham End watching a shit game of Division Three football (although Halifax’s away kit of lime green shirts and yellow shorts had to be seen to be believed) is a far cry from gyros, Mythos and a post-game party in Oddity Club with Fatboy Slim.

What these adventures around Europe these past two months have shown us is that the Europa League draw was seriously kind to Brighton.

Wine and cheese in the south of France. Cake and truffles in Amsterdam. Now Greece, home to some of the greatest culinary delights and famous landmarks in the world.

Nobody wants this adventure to end. Win in Athens and there will be at least one more European away day to come.

Don’t tell Rishi Sunak, but I would happily exchange the Elgin Marbles for that.