Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler has called on fans to help create a hostile atmosphere at the Amex Stadium as the club prepares to host Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris in a Conference League fixture. The German head coach emphasized the importance of making the home ground a challenging venue for opponents, describing the desired environment as “a little bit of a dirty place” to visit.

Brighton currently sit third in the Premier League, having secured four victories in their opening six matches. Their strong domestic form has positioned them as favourites to advance in the Conference League, where Hurzeler is seeking to leverage home advantage through vocal and energetic support from fans.

“We want to keep building our fortress at home,” Hurzeler said. “Our aim is to become known as a team that is tough to beat here, partly because of the environment we create together with our supporters.” He further described the atmosphere the club seeks as “ruthless” and intense, underscoring the necessity of a combative mindset in addition to technical quality.

Hurzeler acknowledged Brighton’s reputation for disciplined team structure and effective recruitment but argued that these strengths alone are insufficient for sustained success. “With nice, you win nothing. You also need the mindset of being difficult to beat,” he said, urging supporters to serve as the team’s “12th player” by generating an energetic and intimidating atmosphere.

The club will be without defender Pascal Struijk for the European fixture as he continues to have his workload managed carefully. However, Struijk’s suspension for a red card incurred during Brighton’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland last weekend has been overturned upon review. This ruling clears the way for the 27-year-old Dutch defender to return for Sunday’s home match against local rivals Crystal Palace.