The end of the 2022-23 Premier League season saw Brighton & Hove Albion qualify for European football for the first time ever.
While it was a monumental accomplishment, if the Seagulls want to continue to take the club to new heights, they need to do two things.
First, perform well in European competitions. Second, continue to qualify for European competitions. Brighton is already doing one of those things, winning its group in the Europa League and advancing to the Round of 16.
But what about qualifying for a European competition next season? The Seagulls are not in the title race and are a fair distance behind the five clubs that appear to be fighting it out for the top four spots and a place in Champions League next season.
Let’s look at the various pathways the Seagulls have for getting back to Europe next season and Brighton’s chances of playing in a continental competition in back-to-back years.
Win Europa League
One could argue that Brighton’s biggest priority this season should be winning Europa League. This is perhaps the only path the Seagulls have to reach Champions League, which would surely be another step forward for the club. While any type of European football would be great, qualifying for Champions League would be the ultimate.
By winning the Europa League trophy, the Seagulls will reach Champions League regardless of where they finish in the Premier League.
The problem is that Brighton faces plenty of competition despite winning its group and avoiding the Knockout Round play-offs.
Premier League leaders Liverpool, Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, and Italian giants AC Milan are the three obvious favourites to win Europa League.
Other clubs like Roma, Benfica, Villarreal, Rangers, Atalanta, and English rivals West Ham also present potential challenges.
The Seagulls will have to get past four more quality opponents, so winning Europa League may not be the most realistic outcome for Brighton.
Win FA Cup
Fortunately, Brighton are also in the last 16 of the FA Cup. The Seagulls have never won this competition, so history is not on their side.
However, winning it will guarantee a spot back in Europa League next season. That would give Brighton two huge accomplishments this season, and the Albion is just four wins away from making that happen.
Alas, there will be challenges along the way. Brighton has to face a pesky Wolverhampton squad on the road in the Fifth Round with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Even if they survive, the likes of Newcastle, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Liverpool are all potential opponents in the rounds to come.
Of course, if the Seagulls can get past Wolves and get a favourable draw or two, winning the FA Cup for the first time isn’t out of the question.
Root for Liverpool
If the Seagulls can’t win either Europa League or the FA Cup, the best thing Brighton fans can do is to throw support behind Liverpool.
Like Brighton, Jurgen Klopp’s team is still alive in the FA Cup, not to mention a finalist in the League Cup. If the Reds win either competition – or both – it’ll open up extra European spots for the sixth and possibly seventh-place teams in the Premier League.
This is why Brighton was able to qualify for Europa League last season after finishing sixth in the final Premier League table.
Obviously, it might feel a little unnatural for Brighton fans to support Liverpool. But rather than treating the League Cup final as a meaningless game, it might be a good idea to explore some sportsbook promos and throw support behind Liverpool against Chelsea.
The Reds winning that game or possibly triumphing in the FA Cup would give the Seagulls a clearer path to European football based on their final spot in the Premier League table.
Play Well in March and May
Of course, even if the sixth and seventh-place spots in the Premier League mean qualifying for Europe, there are no guarantees for Brighton.
The Seagulls will be in a tight race for those positions with Manchester United, West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves, and Chelsea with no more than two teams out of that group qualifying for Europe.
In that scenario, Brighton’s European hopes will likely come down to how they perform in March and May. In March, the Seagulls face a schedule that includes Manchester City and Liverpool, not to mention a pair of Europa League matches.
In May, Brighton’s Premier League schedule concludes with matches against Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Manchester United.
Needless to say, those will all be difficult games against other clubs that will be chasing either a Premier League title or a European spot.
If Brighton’s Europa League and FA Cup hopes fall short, the months of March and May will hold the key to the Seagulls returning to the European stage next season.
