Brighton & Hove Albion will begin their 2026/27 Conference League league-stage campaign on Thursday evening when they welcome Lithuanian side FK Kauno Zalgiris to the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls enter the competition in excellent form, having won their last four matches in all competitions, while Kauno Zalgiris are preparing for their first-ever appearance in the league stage of the Conference League. On paper, this is a significant mismatch in experience and squad depth, but the visitors will arrive with the freedom of having little to lose.
Brighton have every reason to approach their European opener with confidence and Fabian Hurzeler’s side finished eighth in the Premier League last season, earning a place in the Conference League qualifying round. They subsequently made light work of Tromso, securing a 4-0 aggregate victory to reach the league stage.
Their domestic form has been even more impressive at the start of the new campaign as Brighton have won four consecutive matches in all competitions, including their last three Premier League fixtures. That run has helped them climb to third in the Premier League with 13 points, establishing the Seagulls among the early pace-setters.
The Conference League represents another opportunity for Hurzeler to demonstrate how far Brighton have progressed. They already have European experience, having competed in the Europa League in 2023/24 and reached the last 16 before being eliminated by Roma. Their current squad therefore enters the competition with considerably more European experience than their Lithuanian opponents.
Brighton will also have their eyes on the bigger picture. With matches against Jablonec, Getafe, Craiova, AS Monaco, and Panathinaikos still to come in the league phase, collecting three points immediately would provide an excellent foundation.
Kauno Zalgiris have taken a very different route to the Conference League as they initially entered Champions League qualifying but were comprehensively beaten 7-1 on aggregate by Dinamo Zagreb. Their subsequent Europa League playoff campaign ended with a 3-1 defeat to Besiktas, sending them into the Conference League. Despite those setbacks, reaching the league stage represents a landmark moment.
This is the first time Kauno Zalgiris have reached the league stage of the Conference League, while Thursday will also represent their first European campaign beyond the qualification rounds of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. Zeljko Sopic’s side arrive with some domestic confidence, having beaten Minija 3-0 in the Lithuanian Cup and also defeated FA Siauliai in their most recent league fixture.
Their challenge is simply to translate that domestic form onto a much bigger European stage. The gulf in experience and resources will be obvious, but Kauno can potentially make the match uncomfortable if they remain compact and frustrate Brighton during the early stages. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton have a sizeable injury list, with Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas, Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Mats Wieffer, and Femi Azeez all unavailable. Jack Hinshelwood and Zadok Yohanna also require assessment before the match. Hurzeler is expected to make some changes following the 2-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland.
Lewis Dunk could return to the starting XI, while Matt O’Riley is another candidate to come into the team in the expected 4-3-3 formation. Brighton’s full-backs should be important to breaking down Kauno’s 4-1-4-1. With Kauno likely to defend relatively deep, Ferdi Kadioglu and Olivier Boscagli can push forward and create width, allowing the wide forwards to move inside.
That movement should give Pascal Gross and Matt O’Riley passing options between the lines. If Kauno’s holding midfielder follows one of them, space can open elsewhere; if he remains deep, Brighton’s midfielders can potentially receive and turn.
The key will be circulation rather than forcing the attack. Brighton do not need to play at maximum intensity from the opening minute. Moving Kauno from side to side should eventually create gaps.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli; O’Riley, Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Kostoulas, De Cuyper
FK Kauno Zalgiris
Kauno have no reported injury or suspension concerns, giving Zeljko Sopic a full squad from which to select his team. Gabriel Debeljuh, who has scored once in four appearances this season, is expected to lead the attack. Fabien Ourega should also feature in the attacking line in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Kauno’s formation suggests a clear defensive plan and Yukiyoshi Karashima should sit directly in front of the centre-backs, effectively creating a five-man defensive structure when the midfield drops back. The wide midfielders will have a major workload as they must track Brighton’s full-backs while also being ready to sprint forward when possession is recovered.
Kauno should therefore avoid allowing Brighton to establish constant attacks around the edge of the penalty area. Their counter-attacking moments will be particularly important. Debeljuh needs to hold the ball up and bring the midfield runners into play, while Ourega and the other wide players can attack the channels.
If Kauno can force Brighton to play crosses from less favourable positions rather than allowing clean combinations through the middle, they have a better chance of keeping the score respectable.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Mikelionis; Moutachy, Lekiatas, Hernandez, Iyobosa; Karashima; Ourega, Fiolic, Kalik, Ribeiro; Debeljuh
Key Stats
- Brighton & Hove Albion have won their last four matches in all competitions, including their last three Premier League games.
- Brighton & Hove Albion currently sit third in the Premier League with 13 points.
- Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Tromso 4-0 on aggregate in the Conference League playoffs to reach the league stage.
- Kauno Zalgiris lost 7-1 on aggregate to Dinamo Zagreb in Champions League qualifying before subsequently losing 3-1 to Besiktas in the Europa League playoffs.
- Brighton reached the last 16 of the 2023/24 Europa League, their previous appearance in the main stage of European competition.
Player to Watch
Charalampos Kostoulas
The young forward is expected to lead the Seagulls’ attack from the centre of the front three, and this could be an excellent opportunity for him to make an impact on the European stage. Kostoulas’s movement will be particularly important against a Kauno side expected to defend with a compact 4-1-4-1.
Rather than remaining permanently between the two centre-backs, he can drop into pockets of space and drag defenders away from their positions. That would create opportunities for Carlos Gómez and Georginio De Cuyper to attack the spaces from the wide areas. His ability to combine with Brighton’s midfielders could also be crucial.
If Kostoulas can link play effectively with Pascal Gross and Matt O’Riley, Brighton should be able to repeatedly create overloads around the Kauno penalty area. With Brighton expected to control possession for long periods, the striker’s movement inside the box may ultimately determine whether the hosts turn their territorial dominance into a comfortable victory.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 FK Kauno Zalgiris
Everything points towards Brighton controlling this contest. The Seagulls are in excellent domestic form, have European experience, possess significantly greater squad depth and have already navigated their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff without conceding a goal.
Kauno Zalgiris deserve credit for reaching the league stage for the first time, and their full squad and recent domestic victories give them reasons to believe they can compete. However, Brighton’s ability to control possession, stretch the visitors’ defensive block and introduce quality from multiple positions should eventually tell.
