Alious
Brighton & Hove Albion will have to navigate the next two crucial fixtures without their star forward Joao Pedro after his recent dismissal against Brentford.
The Brazilian striker was handed a straight red card during Albion’s 4-2 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium following a heated altercation with Bees defender Nathan Collins. As a result, Pedro was forced to sit out Brighton’s home clash against West Ham at the Amex and will remain suspended for the upcoming fixtures against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Fortunately for Brighton, Pedro will be eligible to return just in time for their final two games of the Premier League season, which see the Seagulls hosting Liverpool and visiting Tottenham Hotspur.
Pedro, who has impressed this season with 10 goals and six assists, remains firmly on the radar of Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of a potential summer transfer. His enforced absence could not have come at a worse time for head coach Fabian Hurzeler, with Brighton still chasing European qualification.
Speaking about the incident, Hurzeler expressed his frustration while maintaining support for his young forward:
“We all know it’s very frustrating,”** he admitted. **”I said after the game that Joao immediately apologised. He understood he made a mistake.”**
Hurzeler also revealed that internal conversations had taken place regarding the striker’s conduct:
**”We made it clear to him that moments like this are unacceptable. But Joao is still a young player. He will make mistakes, and hopefully he can take this experience as a lesson for his future.”
Pedro, who moved to Brighton from Watford in 2023 for a reported £30 million, is under contract at the Amex Stadium until 2028. Across his 70 appearances for the club, the 23-year-old has registered 30 goals and 10 assists, underlining his growing importance to the Seagulls’ attacking setup.
As speculation over a big-money move to one of the Premier League’s heavyweights gathers pace, Brighton fans will be hoping Pedro returns from his suspension focused and firing to help the team finish the season on a high.
Alious
