Roberto De Zerbi told Brighton supporters to get their passports ready but warned the club must continue improving ahead of their maiden European campaign next season.
Evan Ferguson netted twice in the first half of Albion’s 3-1 victory over Southampton in front of a sold-out Amex Stadium, where Pascal Gross restored the two-goal advantage following Mohamed Elyounoussi’s header for the relegated Saints.
The three points assured De Zerbi’s side would not finish lower than seventh, in the Europa Conference League spot, though a sixth-place finish and a Europa League berth are all but mathematically guaranteed.
“Today is difficult for me because with my English I can’t explain my emotion,” said the Italian manger, who succeeded Graham Potter in September.
“I think we deserve this. The club, the players, me, my staff, and the fans, they have to organise their passports to travel in Europe next year because we have to grow together.”
De Zerbi, who last week was shortlisted for the Premier League’s manager of the season award, was increasingly animated on the touchline throughout Sunday’s contest, which was made more interesting when Elyounoussi nodded past Jason Steele after 58 minutes.
It felt everyone in the stands held a single collective breath soon after when Theo Walcott lifted the ball over the Albion keeper but the potential Saints equaliser was chalked off for offside.
Relief made way for elation when Gross fired in the hosts’ third from the edge of the area to put the game away.
But De Zerbi warned booking tickets to Europe is just the beginning of a new era for Brighton, who now must ensure they have the squad to compete in four competitions next term.
He said: “I think the history of the Premier League explains. It can happen, you achieve Europe and the next year you can find yourself at the bottom of the table.
“Now is the crucial moment for the club. Not for Roberto, for the players, but for the club, because we have to keep this level. We have to build a squad to improve our level because I think (chairman) Tony (Bloom) and the club they don’t want to lose this level.
“And to not lose this level we have to work harder in this transfer market, not only in the transfer market but to organise better and better and better because the victory can be dangerous.
“If you celebrate the victory it’s right, it’s normal, but you have to improve. You have to work harder because you can lose the level.”
De Zerbi admitted that at one point his high-flying Seagulls had set an internal goal of qualifying for the Champions League, adding: “I always think it is good for the players to fix the big target.
“We have improved in mentality, we have improved in confidence, we had a target and we still have a target. We have to get another point to play in Europa League.”
Anything below sixth for the Seagulls looks highly unlikely, with Albion enjoying a considerable advantage on goal difference and a game in hand on seventh-placed Villa, their final opponents of the campaign.
Southampton were already relegated before Saturday’s contest.
Ruben Selles’ contract is set to expire after the season, but he insisted that as far as he was aware reports about the potential appointment of Swansea boss Russell Martin as his successor were unsubstantiated.
The Saints boss added: “About my future, again I’m not worried about my future.
“I know that my contract expires at the end of the season and what the club decides, it’s going to be the club’s decision.
“It’s not my decision, I cannot control it, so I cannot spend time on that.”
Europa Conference League: Aston Villa stunned by Olympiacos
Aston Villa were stunned by Olympiacos as they suffered a 4-2 home defeat in the Europa Conference League.
On what the Villa faithful hoped would be a famous night at Villa Park, they instead saw their team dispatched by their Greek opponents in the first leg of their semi-final encounter.
Ayoub El Kaabi scored a hat-trick for the visitors, who were 2-0 up inside 30 minutes on Thursday.
Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby struck either side of the interval to restore parity, but El Kaabi sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Santiago Hezze added further gloss with a sensational finish. To add to Villa's misery, Douglas Luiz then missed a penalty late on.
In the other semi-final tie, Fiorentina took a 3-2 aggregate lead against Club Brugge.
M'Bala Nzola was Fiorentina's hero in stoppage time, scoring in the 91st minute to nudge the Serie A team ahead.
Hans Vanaken had scored from a penalty following a VAR check for handball in the 17th minute, cancelling out Riccardo Sottil's early opener, though Fiorentina restored their lead through Andrea Belotti before half-time in a frantic first half.
Thiago equalised for Brugge, but it was ultimately not enough.
Europa League: Wirtz and Andrich goals put Leverkusen on the brink, Marseille hold Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen put one foot in the Europa League final as Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scored in Thursday's 2-0 semi-final first-leg win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma were masters of their own downfall as Wirtz opened the scoring after 28 minutes, Rick Karsdorp's horrible error allowing Alex Grimaldo to race into the area and tee up Wirtz to finish into an unguarded net.
Though Daniele De Rossi's hosts improved after the break, Andrich added a spectacular second with 73 minutes on the clock, the midfielder giving Mile Svilar no chance as he side-footed into the top-left corner from 25 yards out.
Roma should have pulled one back four minutes into stoppage time, but Tammy Abraham could only nod over from inside the six-yard box after a goalmouth scramble, and they now have it all to do in next week's second leg.
Leverkusen's unbeaten run for 2023-24 stands at 47 games across all competitions (39 wins, eight draws), and they are now overwhelming favourites to stamp their ticket to the final in Dublin.
The other semi-final tie remains in the balance at the halfway stage, with Atalanta being pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.
Having scored twice in La Dea's memorable win at Anfield in the last round, Gianluca Scamacca took in Teun Koopmeiners' pass before finishing low across goal 11 minutes in, but Gian Piero Gasperini's team couldn't hold on.
Chancel Mbemba was the unlikely goalscorer for Marseille, stepping out of defence to clip a 25-yard effort against the far post and in after 20 minutes.
Neither side could find a winner from there, meaning it's all to play for ahead of next week's return fixture at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Orlando City v FC Cincinnati: Acosta hails visitors for absorbing punches
Luciano Acosta has hailed FC Cincinnati for coming through a testing period as they look to make it three straight wins in MLS play at Orlando City on Saturday.
After going unbeaten through their first six games of the season, Cincinnati suffered back-to-back 2-1 defeats against the New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal.
However, they have since bounced back with two wins over difficult opponents, seeing off Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids by the same scoreline.
Acosta scored his 44th goal for Cincinnati – the most of any player in franchise history – in that latter game, and he believes their resilience has been key.
"I think it's just about our mentality," Acosta said. "We lost those two games and it was a bit of a punch that woke us up. But now it's about the mentality and getting back to it."
Head coach Pat Noonan said of Acosta: "I think what makes it more impressive is teams are going to try to prevent him from having an impact.
"When you're a key player and you're able to do what he's doing with the focus on stopping you in a lot of ways, that's what is unique."
Orlando, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by Toronto FC last week, halting their four-game unbeaten streak and dropping them to 13th in the Eastern Conference.
Forward Duncan McGuire felt the Lions should have taken maximum points from that game and is desperate to atone at Inter&Co Stadium.
"I definitely think we should've won," he said.
"I think how difficult this felt and how this feels for us right now is going to push us and motivate us to train hard all week, to get a win for the fans at home and get the job done."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Duncan McGuire
Maguire scored his fourth goal of the MLS season against Toronto last week – no other Orlando player has netted more than once in 2024.
Those goals have come from an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.7, with the United States international also attempting a team-high 27 shots this campaign.
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Acosta has contributed to at least one goal in four straight MLS matches (one goal, three assists).
It is Acosta's fifth streak of four or more straight regular-season games with a goal contribution for Cincinnati, with Brandon Vazquez the only other player to achieve that feat for the team.
MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando earned a win and a draw against Supporters' Shield winners Cincinnati last season, making them one of two teams (also the New England Revolution) to play Cincinnati twice in the 2023 regular season and not lose either match.
The Lions may just fancy their chances of another positive result against Noonan's men, who have only won one of their last three away games (one draw, one defeat).
Orlando have only lost two of their last 17 regular-season home matches dating back to last April, winning nine and drawing six, so viewers should expect a response to their loss last time out.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 49.3%
FC Cincinnati – 23.6%
Draw – 27.1%
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