Ecuador left-back, Pervis Estupiñán has reflected upon a “very proud” debut season at Brighton.
Estupiñán joined Brighton from Villarreal in August 2022 as replacement for Marc Cucurella who had moved to Chelsea, and the Ecuador international went on to score one goal and create seven assists in 41 appearances for the Seagulls who finished sixth in the Premier League.
“I would sum up my first season here using the word pride,” commented Estupiñán speaking to brightonandhovealbion.com. “I’m very proud that I have played a lot of games, so many minutes and that I was able to settle in well and very quickly.”
Estupiñán proceeded to praise his teammates for their support in his move to the club, with fellow Ecuadorian players; Jeremy Sarmiento and Moises Caicedo amongst those who helped him settle in and adjust to the club.
Reflecting upon the difficulty of making the move, Estupiñán said: “It’s not easy changing countries and language. My teammates helped me – there are some from my country and the other South Americans helped me to adapt, which meant I was able to focus as quickly as possible.”
Estupiñán added that he feels that he is now “playing better and better and understanding what my manager wanted from me.”
Acknowledging the support of fans, Estupiñán continued: “I’m trying to help my team and want to repay the fans for the warm welcome they gave me with hard work and commitment in every game. that’s my summary – I’m really happy and things are going well.”
Estupiñán also had to cope with a change of manager barely a month after he joined the club with Graham Potter making a disastrous move to Chelsea, which led Roberto De Zerbi to come in and take the Seagulls to their first-ever European qualification – having qualified for UEFA Europa League.
De Zerbi in particular drew praise from Estupiñán for how he developed the 25 year-old into a better player.
Speaking about the Italian’s impact on his performances, Estupiñán commented: “He has helped me with my movement on the pitch so much, finding the spaces, the gaps our opponents leave open for us. He gave me confidence to be me, play the way I want to play.
“I feel really good, confident and motivated to keep improving. I feel better playing here because I have this clear idea of the game and I have enjoyed myself a lot.”
Estupiñán added that De Zerbi “is a lovely guy” who has formed a “very close” bond with the playing squad, whilst casually enjoying jokes with the players on and off the pitch.
De Zerbi’s eccentric desire to win however hasn’t gone unnoticed by Estupiñán as he quipped: “I know what people mean when they say he’s a bit crazy because he wants to win every game and he makes sure we are so prepared and ready to win every time.
“He always wants more and more and this is contagious and spreads to the players. It’s so important for us because he passes on his passion and energy, this is why we have clicked with him very easily.”
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