Brighton fans react to 'shock' Roberto De Zerbi departure after final game against Manchester United - 'It's mental'

On Saturday, May 18, Brighton and Hove Albion announced that Roberto De Zerbi will be ‘mutually’ leaving the club after their final game on Sunday against Manchester United.

In a statement, it read: “Brighton & Hove Albion has confirmed that head coach Roberto De Zerbi will leave the club after tomorrow’s final Premier League match of the season against Manchester United at the American Express Stadium.

“De Zerbi, who joined Brighton in September 2022, following the departure of Graham Potter to Chelsea, oversaw the club’s highest top-flight finish in 2022/23 and led the club to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League earlier this season.”

Tony Bloom the Chairman of the football club said: “Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans.

“We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future.”

De Zerbi’s exit from the club follows rumours that he could join the likes of Bayern Munich in the summer. Supporters of the Albion commented about the Italian coach and what they thought about the news.

Luke Johnson said: “It’s mental. It’s a bit of a shock because he came out saying he loves the club recently, and now this has happened. It’s fair enough if he goes to a club like Bayern though.

“It’s sad for him to go, he did do well with the amount of injuries we had but our position in the league hasn’t been great. I still think the season has been a success though.

"Brighton’s journey has been great and he took us to that next level by getting us in Europe, he’s made history for us.”

Luke has been going to Brighton games for around 10 years and also went to Albion’s Europa League fixtures against Roma both home and away.

Another Albion fan, George Mulholland said: “I’m not too surprised really, he wanted them to spend and they didn’t do that”