Brighton & Hove Albion are set to begin their inaugural European journey this Thursday as they face AEK Athens in their first Europa League group-stage match. The Seagulls earned their spot in this stage by finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, while AEK Athens, despite winning the Greek Super League, ended up in the Europa League after failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s first-ever Europa League group stage appearance is a result of their historic Premier League season, despite initial concerns when manager Graham Potter left for Chelsea in September. However, those concerns were dispelled as Roberto De Zerbi took over and guided them to 49 points in 32 matches, securing the final Premier League Europa League spot. Their strong form continued into the new season, with nine points from four games. A 3-1 win against Manchester United further showcased their impressive start, making them fifth in the league with the best attacking record. Brighton aims for a strong European debut at home.
AEK Athens enters the Europa League group stage after winning the Greek Super League and securing a Champions League qualifying spot. They returned to European competition after an unsuccessful Europa Conference League attempt in 2021. In the third qualifying round, they narrowly advanced past Dinamo Zagreb with a 2-2 draw at home, earning them a playoff spot. Unfortunately, they couldn’t progress further and dropped into the Europa League. Despite a 1-1 league draw with Olympiacos, they head to England with two recent positive league results. AEK Athens aims to make an impact against favored Brighton before facing Ajax and Marseille next month.
Probable lineups
Brighton & Hove Albion probable starting lineup: Verbruggen, Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Lamptey, Dahoud, Gross, Adingra, Pedro, Fati, Ferguson
AEK Athens probable starting lineup: Stankovic, Rota, Mitoglou, Moukoudi, Mohammadi, Eliasson, Szymanski, Jonsson, Amrabat, Araujo, Ponce
Form Guide
Brighton
| Opponents | Score |
|---|---|
| Manchester United | 3-1 (W) |
| Newcastle | 3-1 (W) |
| West Ham | 1-3 (L) |
| Wolves | 4-1 (W) |
| Luton | 4-1 (W) |
AEK Athens FC
| Opponents | Score |
|---|---|
| Olympiacos Piraeus | 1-1 (D) |
| Volos | 3-2 (W) |
| Antwerp | 1-2 (L) |
| Panserraikos | 1-1 (D) |
| Antwerp | 0-1 (L) |
Head to Head
The upcoming encounter between these two clubs is going to be their first ever head to head match.
Brighton vs AEK Athens Live Schedule and Fixture
The UEFA Europa League match between Brighton and AEK Athens will take place at Falmer Stadium on Thursday at 12:30 am IST.
| Brighton vs AEK Athens | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Date | September 22 |
| Venue | Falmer Stadium |
| Kickoff time in United Kingdom | 8:00 pm (Thursday) |
| Kickoff time in Greece | 10:00 pm (Thursday) |
| Kickoff time in India | 12:30 am (Friday) |
Where to watch Brighton vs AEK Athens?
Football fans in United Kingdom can catch the live action via TNT Sports 1, discovery+ App, discovery+ while those in Greece can watch the match live via Cosmote Sport 6 HD.
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