Albion’s home tie with Roma promises to be a lively occasion.

In fact, it already is.

That became clear as the first press conference of ‘matchday minus one’ came to an end yesterday afternoon.

The relationship between Albion’s head coach and his homeland seems an intriguing one.

Ahead of the first leg, Roberto De Zerbi said there were certain reasons why he had left Italy and pursued his career first in Ukraine, now in England.

He has indicted he will go back to Italy to work one day.

One suspects he is not ready for that yet.

Then, after the game, he took a lot of quizzing about his tactics in the 4-0 defeat.

Yesterday, he was being pressed by the Italian media again, this time at Albion’s training complex in Lancing.

He had answered his questions and we were by now talking to the man alongside him, Danny Welbeck.

But one Italian reporter then went back to De Zerbi and suggested he was seen as a divisive character.

The divide suggested appeared to be between coaches who play a beautiful game and those who are more pragmatic.

It became one of those exchanges which you might have seen in Spain or Italy, maybe Greece, where it is starting to look a bit like an argument.

And then you are informed: “No, that’s just the way we talk here.”

Either way, De Zerbi did not seem overly pleased. There was a finger pointed.

And the interpreter was given quite a task.

What we eventually got in English was a summary of what had been said.

What we could see was the journalist and De Zerbi continue the debate as the coach headed out of the media room.

What should be pointed out here is De Zerbi is happy to get into a conversation during a press conference.

Afterwards, he will often go over to the reporter with whom he might have just disagreed or been a bit sharp, shake hands and leave on good terms.

Anyway, a fuller transcript of what he said in response to being divisive was later obtained.

De Zerbi said: “I’m not a person who is in the middle, the one who loves grey.

“I always try to take a position and be fair to everyone.

“I like to choose which side to be on and who to be.

“I believe that in your category (journalists), there are many incorrect people.

“I have never compromised. I have always tried to work with passion and respect towards everyone.

“There are not always honest, correct and even competent people in your category.

“When I found these people, I did not look for a meeting point.

“You can write what you want. Clearly I’m sorry because my family is in Italy and I don’t find it right to be so divisive.

“You do it, not the fans. Being divisive is down to you, on how you tell things, your truths.

“That’s what makes me divisive.

“In my opinion this division is accentuated by you.

“This may also happen in a not entirely transparent way, because perhaps there are some incorrect people among you. And so this thing became accentuated.

“I respect almost everyone in your profession. Those who don’t respect others, I don’t respect them.”

Until then, all had gone along calmly.

At one stage, De Zerbi was asked whether reaction in England to a 4-0 defeat had been rather different to what he might expect in Italy but he sidestepped that one.

It was clear he wants the real Brighton to stand up this evening.

Not necessarily for an Italian audience but that would be a nice fringe benefit.

And he wants what Albion have done all season to be kept in proper context and appreciated.

In one of his Italian answers, he said he felt the media were setting expectations too high.

That is a fine line. He need not worry with the locals.

We know how far Albion have come but it is still reasonable to ask what more can be achieved.

Top half of the Premier League, last 16 in Europe and fifth round of the FA Cup would be a sensational season for the Seagulls.

But the story of the season has not yet been written.

In a way, Albion cannot lose tonight. The damage has already been done.

By 11pm, they will be either be a winning team or a wiser team.

Asked whether he had ever pulled off a comeback of this magnitude, De Zerbi recalled his time coaching Foggia and said: “We lost 5-1 or 5-2 and then we won 6-1.

“But it is a completely different situation.

“It is very tough game, very tough because Roma are a very important team, they are in good physical condition.”

Roma grabbed a last-gasp 2-2 draw at Fiorentina on Sunday.

De Zerbi said: “I watched the game against Fiorentina and the last four games in Serie A and they deserve what they are doing.”