Brighton open their Europa Conference League campaign on Thursday night, and few would argue with the bookmakers who have made them favourites to go all the way to the final in Istanbul. Standing in their way at the Amex Stadium are Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris, a club stepping onto the main stage of European competition for the very first time.
Brighton begin their Europa Conference League league stage campaign on Thursday night, with Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris the visitors to the Amex Stadium. The fixture is set for a 20:00 start on October 15, and M. Redder will take charge as referee.
Supporters in the UK can follow the action on TNT Sports, while viewers in the United States can watch through Paramount+.
Fabian Hurzeler’s team have rarely looked more convincing, and they enter the competition on the back of a run that justifies their billing. Brighton have won four matches in a row across all competitions, scoring 13 goals along the way, and they have not been beaten since a 4-3 loss to Chelsea back in August.
That sequence includes a 3-0 dismantling of Arsenal before the international break and a 2-0 victory at Sunderland last weekend. The trip to the Stadium of Light demanded a rearguard effort after Pascal Struijk was sent off and Brighton were reduced to 10 men, although the defender’s red card has since been overturned on appeal.
Hurzeler’s side sit third in the Premier League on 13 points from six matches, with only Arsenal and Manchester City above them. They have compiled that record without wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh, neither of whom has featured at all this season.
An eighth place finish last season, followed by a playoff win over Tromsø, secured Brighton’s place in this competition. It is the club’s second European campaign, after they reached the last 16 of the Europa League in 2023/24 before going out to Roma.
Kauno Žalgiris arrive at the end of a long European summer. Dinamo Zagreb beat them 7-1 on aggregate in Champions League qualifying, and a 3-1 defeat to Beşiktaş in the Europa League playoffs sent them into the Conference League. Domestically, Zeljko Sopić’s side lead the Lithuanian A Lyga by a single point and have won six of their last seven league fixtures.
Hurzeler confirmed during his prematch press conference that Struijk will miss out with an injury, though he hopes to have the defender back for Sunday’s derby against Crystal Palace.
Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas, Mitoma, Minteh, Mats Wieffer and Femi Azeez all remain sidelined. Charalampos Kostoulas is a doubt because of a minor hand problem and could start on the bench, with Georginio Rutter expected to lead the line.
With Palace to come on Sunday, rotation looks likely, and Hurzeler is expected to give minutes to players who have been on the fringes during the winning run.
Žalgiris have no reported injury or suspension problems. Fabien Ourega is expected to start, and Gabriel Debeljuh is likely to lead the line.
Brighton: Verbruggen; Kadıoğlu, Vušković, Dunk, Boscagli; Ayari, O’Riley; Gómez, Gross, De Cuyper; Rutter
Kauno Žalgiris: Mikelionis; Moutachy, Lekiatas, Hernández, Iyobosa; Karashima; Ourega, Fiolić, Kalik, Ribeiro; Debeljuh
Brighton carry a four match winning streak and a settled Premier League standing into a competition they are tipped to win, while Kauno Žalgiris bring domestic momentum and nothing to lose from their first appearance in a European main stage. Both sides will learn quickly what the league phase has in store.
