Brighton take on the visitors Chelsea in the 1/16-finals of English FA Cup. The match will be played on Saturday, February 8th at Amex Stadium (Brighton).
Brighton have long been considered a promising, up-and-coming project. However, their breakthrough was somewhat accidental: they let Graham Potter leave for Chelsea and, mid-season, brought in Roberto De Zerbi. He led the club to European competition for the first time in its history! But after winning their Europa League group last year, the English side quickly lost steam, and De Zerbi increasingly made it clear he was eyeing a move to a more ambitious project. Ultimately, after a mediocre finish in 11th place, he left for Marseille. The club then appointed a young, promising foreign coach, Fabian Hürzeler. Moreover, Brighton spent nearly as much on summer signings as Chelsea did. Fabian, living up to his “new Nagelsmann” reputation, started strong. However, the team’s performance faded over time. They went on an eight-match winless streak across all competitions. Even after consecutive wins over Norwich (in the cup), Ipswich, and Manchester United, they lost 0-1 at home to Everton and suffered a humiliating 0-7 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Brighton’s inconsistency this season highlights the challenges of transitioning under new management, and their defensive frailties have become a significant concern.
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Chelsea faced winter troubles. The Blues failed to reclaim their top status last season. Pochettino could only guide his squad to 6th place in the Premier League and lost the Carabao Cup final at the end of winter. This didn’t meet the club’s ambitions, and Todd Boehly dismissed the Argentine without hesitation, reshuffling the squad once again in the summer and appointing Enzo Maresca as head coach. Maresca experienced setbacks early on, most notably the Carabao Cup exit. However, Chelsea showed perfect form in the Europa Conference League group stage and climbed to 2nd place in the Premier League by December. But then, their form suddenly collapsed as they went five matches without a win, including a shocking loss to Ipswich. After a much-needed win against Wolves, they stumbled again with a defeat to direct rivals Manchester City. Only in the match against West Ham did they manage to scrape out a hard-fought victory. Despite their rocky winter form, Chelsea has shown flashes of quality, and Maresca’s tactical adjustments seem to be stabilizing the team.
In the 2023-2024 season, the Blues defeated their South Coast rivals four times in a row. The balance of power seems relatively even, but the London club appears better prepared to secure a positive result. We’re betting on Chelsea with a handicap of “0”.
Prediction for the match: Chelsea to win with 0.0 handicap.
