Every word from Fabian Hurzeler's pre-Leeds United press conference

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Albion head to Elland Road for their penultimate Premier League game on Sunday.

2026-05-14T16:00+01:00

Fabian Hurzeler covered a range of topics on Thursday when he spoke to the media ahead of Albion's final Premier League away game of the season against Leeds United at Elland Road.

You joked that you didn't practice scoring after just 35 seconds after the Wolves game, but Jack Hinshelwood said you've instilled in the team a need to always start fast. How important is it to carry that intensity into the final two games?

Intensity should always be our identity, so we always want to have it on the pitch. We always want to start well. It's nice to have a good start, get a good feeling, get the fans behind you, and dominate the opponent. That's always the idea, but it's not always possible because the opponent wants to start well too. Regarding intensity, that's our identity and what we want to have all over the pitch: in possession, out of possession, and on set pieces.

Kaoru Mitoma was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury against Wolves. You said you'd need to know more from a scan. It obviously comes at a crucial point for the club, but it could also impact his World Cup place with Japan. Can you provide an update?

For us, he will be out and will miss the next two games. Regarding the World Cup, I'm not sure yet. We are in touch with the Japan Football Association and have to make a decision together. We really have to be patient with this injury. We can't give a clear schedule or commit to when he will be available. It's very sad for Kaoru because he was in good form and had a big impact on our performances. We need to respect his privacy and take care of his health. It's a really unfortunate situation.

How much of a blow is that to the team?

It's definitely a big blow because we know how important a player like Kaoru is for us. But we have a big squad with good availability. We've shown throughout the whole season that we can replace important players and that we have a really good togetherness. We see this as a challenge and an opportunity to stick together as a team, face this adversity, and show the right reaction. Everyone in this team can have an impact on our performance.

Mats Wieffer also missed out against Wolves with an ankle injury. Could we see him come back on Sunday?

There's an option that he will be available on Sunday, but we have to wait and see over the next two or three days.

Mats Wieffer could be in contention for a return to the squad on Sunday. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Diego Gómez was also unavailable. You said knee injuries can be complex. How is he looking at the moment?

He will definitely be an option for Sunday.

Leeds are officially safe, but with it being their final game at Elland Road on Sunday, they're going to want to put on a good performance. What are you expecting from them?

I'm expecting a team that is difficult to beat. They haven't lost in the Premier League since March, showing they are on a really good run. They have good individual quality and play with high intensity. They changed to a back five, making them a very compact but active team. It's a special atmosphere playing in their stadium with the fans behind them. They achieved something really nice by staying in the league, so we expect a tough challenge. However, we are going there to play our style of football and try to dominate the game.

You are now two games away from potentially playing in the Champions League next season. Do you feel excitement starting to show?

I feel the biggest excitement going to a special stadium with a special atmosphere, facing a strong opponent, and preparing my team the best we can. Having a good training week to create good energy in our environment is what I'm really excited about. The Leeds match is the most important game for us now. We are going there with good preparation, excitement, and joy to enjoy playing against a good opponent.

Will you be watching the FA Cup final on the weekend, given it could impact European places?

Everyone who knows me knows I love football, so if there's a live game, I try to watch it. On Saturday, it's not just the FA Cup; there's also the Bundesliga and my previous team, St. Pauli. I'll try to watch them all, but I won't watch the final specifically because of Chelsea.

Will you be willing Manchester City on at all?

That's a good question. I always emphasise that I like how Pep (Guardiola) and his team play. It's always interesting to see how they outplay a low block and what tactical ideas Pep has. He is one of the best coaches in the league, and you can always learn from the best. I will look more at the tactical setups, and then the better team should win.

Jack Hinshelwood is in great form with three goals in three matches. What's the secret behind his recent performances?

Jack Hinshelwood has scored in his last three Premier League games. 📷 James Boardman

He always shows great effort in training. He wants to be part of the team, improve, adjust, and learn. One of his biggest strengths is his flexibility; he can play in several positions. Now he is in a number 10 position, and it seems to be a good fit. He has a desire to score. He isn't just a box-to-box player - he really attacks the opponent's box. That's important for our game, and I'm very pleased with how he's performing.

No player has ever scored in four consecutive Premier League matches for Brighton. Has Jack been doing any work with Bobby Zamora on his striking?

He's not doing it for the statistic or the record; he's doing it for his individual development. He is a player who always wants to improve. They did have some sessions this week with Bobby, but it's for general development rather than chasing a record. I'm not even sure if he knows about the statistic, because I certainly didn't!

It'll be Danny Welbeck's 200th appearance for the club if he plays this weekend. How impressed have you been with him and his push to get into the World Cup squad?

Very impressed. Throughout the whole season, he was always a main topic for the media. It shows he gets a lot of rewards for his performances and for being a leader on and off the pitch. He deserves these rewards because he works hard for them. I'm very pleased he is nominated for the provisional squad, and hopefully, he makes the final squad for the World Cup.

Pascal Gross got another assist against Wolves. How important has he been to you off the pitch with his experience?

I always emphasise that having a great connection with the leaders is crucial. He is a leader with whom I try to have a strong relationship. What I like is that they share their opinions quite openly and don't hide them. They knock on my door, and we speak about several things - tactics, but also private matters. I really appreciate that. When you have a trustful relationship, you can speak openly, which helps on the pitch. He is a great connector, a great person, and a great leader.

[Leeds head coach] Daniel Farke is someone you've spoken highly of before. What's your relationship like with him?

I still have a lot of praise for him. He has done an unbelievable job at Leeds, and I'm really happy for him. He went through a tough period but showed a great reaction. The team stuck together and played some great football, especially in recent weeks.

Daniel Farke always stresses physicality and intensity. Do you have to fight fire with fire against Leeds, or be more clever than that?

We expect a very intense game with personal duels, fighting for second balls, and a lot of transition moments. I don't think it's fighting fire with fire. For me, it's important that we stick to our style of play. Our style is to be intense in every phase but also to try to control the game. Leeds do similar things, so we just have to be at our highest level regarding our standards and quality. We have to control the controllables, have the right mindset, and push our limits even more to challenge them.

Georginio Rutter goes back to his former club this weekend. Where do you feel he's at right now, particularly with the impact he's made from the bench?

I feel he's in a good place. Of course, he's not happy with his minutes - that's normal - but he is there for his teammates and the club. That's the most important thing: everyone putting their ego behind the success of the team. I always emphasize ‘team first.’ Maxim De Cuyper is a great example of this. He's a big player who has played several games for Belgium, but he didn't play many minutes for us early on because Ferdi Kadıoglu and Mats Wieffer did well. Now we've missed Mats in recent weeks, and Maxim has replaced him in a very impressive way. You can only do this if you train hard every day and emphasise togetherness. Regarding Georginio, he wants to contribute the best impact he can, and I'm really pleased with how he's doing.