Brighton & Hove AlbionTeam·Brighton & Hove Albion, commonly known as Albion, have unveiled a significant pre-season schedule, confirming two home fixtures against prominent Serie ACompetition·Serie A opposition. The Seagulls will host AS Roma and BolognaTeam·Bologna at the American Express Community Stadium in August, providing a robust test as they build towards the new Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season and their UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off.
AS Roma, who previously visited the Amex during the 2023-24 Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League campaign, are slated to play on Saturday, August 8. A week later, BolognaTeam·Bologna will make their visit. Tickets for these encounters are now available, with adult two-game packages priced at £25, and single-match tickets commencing at £15 for adults.
Both Italian clubs offer a high calibre of opposition. AS Roma concluded their most recent Serie ACompetition·Serie A season in a strong third position, thereby securing a coveted spot in the UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League. BolognaTeam·Bologna, while narrowly missing out on European qualification, finished a respectable eighth in Italy's top flight. These matches will serve as crucial preparation for Brighton, particularly with their UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off first leg scheduled for August 20, followed by their Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League opener at home against Aston VillaTeam·Aston Villa on Sunday, August 23.
Albion's upcoming season follows a notable 2025/26 campaign where they finished eighth in the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League. This achievement secured their qualification for the UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off stage, marking the second time in the club's history they have earned a place in European competition. The journey to European football was particularly impressive given a challenging period earlier in the season.
Under head coach Fabian HürzelerCoach·Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton experienced a significant turnaround in form. After a difficult spell in February 2026, which included a home defeat to Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace and a run of only one win in 13 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League matches, the team was just seven points clear of the relegation zone. However, a strategic shift implemented by Hürzeler at the end of February, beginning with a 2-0 victory over BrentfordTeam·Brentford, ignited a remarkable resurgence. By April, Brighton had ascended to sixth place, with their European aspirations firmly in their own hands, culminating in a decisive 3-0 win against ChelseaTeam·Chelsea. Despite a mixed conclusion to May, including losses to Newcastle and Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United, their earlier strong performances ensured an eighth-place finish.
Brighton's qualification for the UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League was a result of specific outcomes in other domestic competitions. Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City, having won both the FA CupCompetition·FA Cup and EFL CupCompetition·EFL Cup, secured a Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League berth through their league position. This allowed the Europa LeagueCompetition·Europa League spot for the FA CupCompetition·FA Cup winners to pass to seventh-placed SunderlandTeam·Sunderland, and the Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League play-off spot for the EFL CupCompetition·EFL Cup winners to be allocated to eighth-placed Brighton. Furthermore, Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace's triumph in the 2025-26 UEFA Conference LeagueCompetition·Conference League also contributed to the reshuffling of European places. Striker Danny WelbeckPlayer·Danny Welbeck was a key contributor throughout the season, finishing as the club's top league goalscorer with 13 goals.
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