Roberto De Zerbi is making his expectations clear to the Brighton squad and has dropped Leandro Trossard from their squad for the clash with Liverpool.
The 43-year-old Italian took over at the Seagulls following Graham Potter’s move to Chelsea back in September. The former Sassuolo coach has overseen 14 matches since his arrival, averaging 1.27 points per match in the Premier League with four wins and two draws. De Zerbi’s exciting brand of football has already seen him attract plaudits in England.
As announced in his press conference today, De Zerbi has decided to drop Trossard from the Brighton squad for their game with Liverpool due to disciplinary reasons.
He explained his decision, which came after the player discovered he wouldn’t be starting in the FA Cup win over Middlesborough.
“Leandro isn’t in the list of the players for tomorrow. Leandro knows very well my opinion.
“The last training session before the Middlesbrough game, when he understood he wouldn’t play, he left the session without saying anything to me and it’s not good.
“On the Monday, I spoke with him and I explained I don’t like this attitude, this behaviour.
“He knows very well if he wants to play at Brighton with me, he has to work hard, he has to run, he has to be in the right way because we are not a big team, a Real Madrid, Barcelona or another big, big team. We are Brighton and we need players who work like the other players.”
Trossard has been increasingly linked with a move away from the Seagulls this month, and De Zerbi made it clear that his door was open.
“I don’t know about the transfer market, if he wants to change teams or not. It’s not my problem. I’m a coach, only a coach and the first 11, while I am the coach, I will decide.
“I’m not thinking about the transfer market, other teams or other discussions. The only discussion is to play for the team, to work and to run on the pitch.
“I don’t know what the problem is. I want to be honest because I want to be clear. I’m open with him, I’m open to taking a step back.
“If he wants to play, I’m open to listening to him, but he has to understand that, with me, I only want players who work hard, who play for the team 100%.”
It’s an important signal from De Zerbi, showing that he expects his players to remain professional and hardworking regardless of the circumstances.