Brighton & Hove Albion duo Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey are reportedly facing up to three months on the sidelines with muscle injuries.
Brighton & Hove Albion duo Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey could reportedly be sidelined for up to three months with muscle injuries.
Both players limped off in the first half of the Seagulls’ 3-2 win away against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League last weekend, with Fati lasting just 21 minutes before Lamptey was withdrawn on the 34-minute mark.
Fati and Lamptey have since been ruled out of Thursday’s Europa League clash with AEK Athens in Greece, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi revealing that the pair are facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Italian said: “Ansu and Lamptey are both injured. We’ve lost them for a long time.
“The focus is on the players who can play tomorrow. We will have enough to compete. I don’t know if we will win but we will fight to win the game.”
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According to multiple reports including The Mirror, both Fati and Lamptey are set to be out for three months, adding to Brighton’s mounting injury crisis.
Fati joined Brighton on loan from Barcelona in the summer and the attacker has since chipped in with four goals and one assist in 12 starts for the Seagulls, while full-back Lamptey has only started four of his eight appearances this term due to injury.
Brighton are also having to cope without Pervis Estupinan, Danny Welbeck (both muscle) Solly March and Julio Enciso (both knee) who are all long-term absentees, while Adam Webster is set to be sidelined for a few weeks with an unspecified problem.
In addition, De Zerbi’s side will be without centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke for Thursday’s contest with AEK Athens due to suspension.
However, Kaoru Mitoma, James Milner and Igor Julio all took part in first-team training on Wednesday evening after missing the win at Forest through injury, and the trio could be named in the matchday squad to face the Yellow-Blacks.
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Brighton currently sit second in Group B and can qualify for the Europa League knockout rounds if they beat AEK Athens, who sit three points behind them in third spot.
“We have to play our best, we have to be our best. It is a challenge for us, not an excuse,” De Zerbi told reporters. “We are good enough to compete in the Europa League.
“We showed a great mentality against Nottingham Forest. We spent 90 minutes with a lot of difficulty but it was nice, the win. Our fans were very happy, our club the same.
“We have to love the challenge. The most difficult challenge is for the very good players and very good coaches.”
Brighton will be seeking revenge against AEK Athens after they suffered a 3-2 home defeat to the Greek outfit in their first-ever European match in September.
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