De Zerbi has 'total confidence' in his backroom staff

Roberto De Zerbi will have no concerns about leaving touchline duties to his coaching staff against West Ham United today.

De Zerbi will have to watch the game from the Amex stands after he received a one-game suspension from the Football Association.

But he has ‘total confidence’ in his coaching staff and says there is no need for excessive communication ‘because they know very well what we have to do on the pitch.’

Asked about his staff, De Zerbi said, “They are very good people – Andrea, Marcello [Quinto], Ricard [Segarra] – all my staff who work in Brighton have my full confidence.

“I think Andrea is a little more relaxed than me, it is maybe better for the players!

“We are living together. We stay together from 8.30 in the morning until 10pm in the evening. We are like a family.”

Meanwhile De Zerbi admitted he would like to give more exposure to his young players after handing 18-year-old Facundo Buonanotte his full debut in Tuesday’s FA Cup win over Stoke City.

On Friday, Buonanotte was named in world champions Argentina’s senior squad for the first time ahead of two friendlies later this month.

"It wasn't a surprise that he played very well (at Stoke) for his first game in another country. I knew before the game his level, his quality.

"The Argentinian players are the best in the world, because they are smart. I love their mentality. Alexis [Mac Allister] is helping him a lot to settle in, but also the whole South American group. It makes it easier for Facundo to understand, and adapt.

“Facundo will, for sure, be very important, but our all of squad is very good. It's difficult to find a space for a very young player. It's the same for [Jeremy] Sarmiento and [Julio] Enciso. I'm sorry for them. I would like to give them more game time, but it's difficult. [Solly] March is playing very well, [Kaoru] Mitoma also.

"[Deniz] Undav also deserves to play more, because when he's played he's always played well.”