Roberto De Zerbi took Brighton and Hove Albion to win the Europa League group with a victory over Olympique Marseille, but admits his first thought was the Serie C play-off he lost to Gennaro Gattuso in 2016.
The pair crossed paths again in the Europa League and this evening’s result was decisive to see who would go through as group leaders and therefore by-pass the dangerous knockout play-off round in February.
Joao Pedro snatched the only goal of the game at the 88th minute, but De Zerbi confessed his thoughts immediately rushed to a very different showdown.
“This is the best moment in my time here, but you must know something else,” De Zerbi told TNT Sports.
“I lost a final play-off in league 3 in Italy eight years ago against Rino. Immediately after the game, I thought about my former players at Foggia, as we suffered a lot.
“When you lose that game, you can’t forget it. I have the memories in my head, always.”
That was certainly a memorable encounter, as it descended into a near brawl in June 2016 for the promotion from Serie C (the third division) to Serie B.
Gattuso’s Pisa won the first leg 4-2 at home and in the second leg, which ended 1-1 in Foggia, Gattuso was struck by an object thrown from the stands.
The two coaches started arguing on the touchline and then Foggia ultras staged a pitch invasion.
This time around, it was De Zerbi who flung himself into the crowd of Brighton fans after the late Joao Pedro winner.