Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Dario Vidošić is eagerly anticipating his team’s upcoming M23 derby clash against Crystal Palace this weekend.
The Seagulls will head to the VBS Community Stadium to take on The Eagles on Sunday afternoon, marking the first time the two teams will meet in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
In a pre-match press conference, Vidošić acknowledged the challenge of facing an ever-improving Crystal Palace side but expressed his enthusiasm for the derby atmosphere.
“They’re getting better every week, which is to be expected,” Vidošić said about Crystal Palace. “A newly promoted team often needs a few games to find their rhythm and adjust to the league, the opponents, and the different challenges they face.
“I thought they performed very well against Leicester City last weekend; they’re improving, and it’s going to be a tough match. We know the derby adds an extra edge to the game.”
Vidošić also mentioned how much he is looking forward to the game, saying, “It was probably the first game I heard about when I arrived. You’ve got to love derby week and a derby game, so I’m really looking forward to Sunday.”
The match is expected to be a closely contested battle between two well-prepared teams. Vidošić spoke about the tactical strengths that Crystal Palace head coach Laura Kaminski has instilled in her squad.
“They have some interesting rotations in the wide areas, sometimes involving two or three players, and they know how to attack the half-space. They’re also strong in transitions and have quality forwards who combine well, as shown by their goal against Leicester. They even challenged Chelsea, though a transitional moment changed the game,” Vidošić observed.
“It’s going to be tough—they have a lot of strengths we need to be mindful of. But we are confident that if we play our game, we can limit their chances. We need to stay focused for the entire match because they have the potential to hurt us.”
Brighton & Hove Albion enter the match in third place in the Barclays Women’s Super League table, and expectations are growing for the club. Vidošić believes that both players and fans should embrace these aspirations.
“We can’t ignore dreaming big, but it’s about how we channel that. Do we let it distract us, or do we use it as motivation to keep working hard, focusing on the things that often go unseen during training and preparation?”
“I want our players and fans to dream,” Vidošić continued. “We have set ambitious goals, but my approach remains consistent—study, analyze, prepare, and then perform on match day. It’s the same for any opponent and crucial for our development.”
“When match day arrives, I want to enjoy the game, see good football, and ensure we play our style. When we do that, we’re a very tough team to beat.”
The Barclays Women’s Super League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace is set to kick off at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
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