Pascal Struijk faces a Saturday fitness assessment before Brighton decide whether he can play against Crystal Palace, with Fabian Hurzeler leaving the defender’s availability open ahead of Sunday’s derby.
The question is now his recovery rather than a suspension. Brighton confirmed earlier this week that his red card against Sunderland had been overturned, but that disciplinary clearance does not settle whether he will be fit for the game at the Amex.
Hero photo: Pascal Struijk arriving for Leeds at Craven Cottage on 13 September 2025. Archive photograph, not this week or Brighton training. Photo: Timmy96 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized.
Pascal Struijk decision follows Saturday assessment
In Brighton’s official Palace team-news update, Hurzeler said Friday’s rest gives Struijk another day to recover.
“We aren’t training today so Pascal Struijk gets another day of recovery, so let’s see how he does tomorrow. Then we will make a decision,” the head coach said.
That leaves an assessment to come rather than a confirmed return. Brighton’s Wednesday announcement removed the one-match ban following a successful wrongful-dismissal claim, so the remaining question is separate from the overturned red card.
Brighton wait on other injured players
Aside from Pascal Struijk, Hurzeler ruled the other sidelined players out, but reported no fresh injuries after Thursday’s 4-0 win over Kauno Zalgiris.
The coach expects Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer back relatively soon, while Kaoru Mitoma needs more time. His hope of having Mitoma back for the international break is a target, not confirmation of a return date.
Brighton host Palace at 2pm BST on Sunday, looking to extend their Premier League winning run to four matches. They are unbeaten in six games across all competitions, according to the club’s preview, while Pascal Struijk’s fitness remains uncertain.
For supporters following Pascal Struijk, the distinction matters: Brighton won their appeal against the ban, while the fitness decision is still pending. Saturday’s assessment will determine whether Struijk can move from being eligible for selection to being available for it.
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