Fabian Hurzeler has paid tribute to Roberto De Zerbi ahead of their first meeting as opposing managers on Saturday, insisting his predecessor at Brighton fully deserves the reputation he has built in English football.
“He deserves the praise,” Hurzeler [told reporters in his pre-match press conference](https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/sport/football/brighton-and-hove-albion/fabian-hurzeler-makes-roberto-de-zerbi-admission-ahead-of-tottenham-vs-brighton-6578892).
“He had a huge impact here. He had great achievements with the players. He reached Europe for the first time, so he deserves this praise.”
The comments come ahead of a fixture that carries enormous significance for De Zerbi, who faces his former club with Tottenham sitting 18th in the Premier League and winless in 14 league games.
De Zerbi guided Brighton to their highest-ever finish of sixth in 2022-23, smashing club records for goals, wins and points while delivering their debut campaign in European football.
Hurzeler, who took charge at the Amex in the summer of 2024, has been careful to carve out his own identity rather than simply extend De Zerbi’s legacy.
While De Zerbi’s Brighton played an attacking, idealistic style, Hurzeler has made the team more defensively solid, and the 33-year-old now arrives at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having matched his predecessor’s tally of 70 Premier League games in charge—with a superior points-per-game record to show for it.
The praise from his successor will mean little to De Zerbi if Tottenham cannot deliver a performance befitting the occasion.
Brighton have won their last three away Premier League games, keeping a clean sheet in each, and have won five of their last six league matches overall.