Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has explained his decision to substitute Carlos Baleba just 22 minutes into the club’s 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa, insisting the move was necessary after the midfielder received a questionable yellow card.
Baleba, the Cameroon international and a reported target for Manchester United, appeared visibly frustrated as he left the pitch, raising questions about his role at Brighton amid continued transfer speculation.
Speaking after the defeat, Hurzeler defended the decision, citing the referee’s influence on the game.
“I’m not happy with the yellow card he gets, so it was absolutely the wrong decision for me to give him… the first foul wasn’t even a bad foul, not a tactical foul, a yellow card,” Hurzeler said. “
“Then of course we had to take care of him, so that was the only reason. But it was a big impact from the referee to give that yellow card, therefore we had to make the substitution.”
The 22-year-old Baleba has emerged as one of Brighton’s most promising midfielders this season, attracting attention from Premier League giants.
Manchester United have reportedly monitored him closely, but Brighton blocked the club from pursuing a summer transfer and warned them off ahead of last month’s winter market.
