To Brighton, Pascal Gross is one thing outdated, however one thing new. Borussia Dortmund borrowed, however now he is again in blue.
There isn’t any extra necessary participant in Brighton’s Premier League historical past than the 34-year-old – who was their first ever signing as a £3m buy after their promotion to the top-flight. He stood as a logo for your entire Brighton venture – match made in heaven.
However for Gross, there was no extra necessary cellphone name than the one from Brighton over Christmas that sealed his return to the membership from Dortmund after 18 months away.
“There were a couple of other options, but Brighton was always the priority,” he tells Sky Sports activities, again in Brighton blue after collaborating in his first coaching session with the group on Monday.
“I simply stayed in contact with all of the lads over the time away. Perhaps you watch much less of the video games or you do not keep in contact as a lot anymore, it will get much less and fewer, but it surely by no means actually did.
“I used to be fairly related with the individuals. There was all the time a risk in soccer, you by no means know.
“The whole club: the Amex, the fans, the city, I always feel really comfortable as a football player, and as a family man. It was a perfect match from the beginning and I’m really happy to have a second spell here.”
The Seagulls paid £1.2m for Gross however in reality, his affect is priceless. Regardless of being away for 18 months, Gross nonetheless has extra Premier League objectives and assists than any Brighton participant of their historical past – not even Danny Welbeck’s latest purple patch has managed to knock him off that perch.
These 75 objectives and assists over seven years received heads turning – together with Dortmund’s. It was the one membership that might have taken him away from the south coast membership.
“It was really difficult,” mentioned Gross about his departure final summer season. “I always knew what I got and I really liked it here.
“Solely one thing actually particular received me out right here. One thing I wished to see with Dortmund – the house video games, the stadium, Champions League soccer, a group I adopted since I used to be actually younger.”
But now he’s back – and it’s a perfect New Year’s Resolution to Brighton’s tricky form of late. For the second year in a row, they failed to win a Premier League game in December, dropping from fifth towards the bottom half of the table.
But Gross’ return on Saturday – albeit from the bench – ended a six-game winless run. Such a talismanic figure can be the key turning point in a season that has lacked consistency so far.
“We have top senior players, we have a lot of young players, a lot of potential. I think it’s just the balance to get it all together. Because the Premier League is ruthless, little mistakes get punished.
“So the younger ones must study quick, develop quick, present their full potential.”
Since Gross’ last Premier League start for Brighton, he’s played at the European Championships with Germany, scored his first international goal, played and scored in the Champions League and appeared in the Club World Cup. “Rather a lot has occurred within the final 18 months.”
His return to Brighton also coincides with a bid to make Germany’s World Cup squad this summer, having dropped out of the national team thinking due to limited game time at Dortmund.
But at the age of 34, is Gross still the same player he once was? Is he going to be the same vital cog he was before?
“I feel you all the time develop and develop a little bit bit extra expertise,” says Gross when asked if he’s the same player. “However I am nonetheless the identical type of participant, just a bit bit extra skilled.
“Playing on the highest level every three days, it’s a different kind of football.
“In the event you play worldwide soccer, the Euros, then Champions League, you mainly play each three days, And that is actually powerful as a result of it isn’t simple, enjoying on a sure degree and the ambition is all the time to win each sport.
“It’s like the big teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and the other ones. They have pressure to win every three days and not one of them games are easy.
“You are going into these video games and perhaps some groups can put together for a complete week. That is a complete completely different story. So, that was the largest studying for me from my time at Dortmund.”
Can Brighton beat Man City? Gross and Gruda discuss…
One player who could really benefit from Gross’ input is Brajan Gruda, still finding his way on the south coast as a young German international.
The pair actually met before Gross’ Brighton departure during a German national team camp before Euro 2024. And the 34-year-old made an effort to speak to Gruda upon arriving at the club.
“When he got here right here, he talked to me and he mentioned, ‘now I am right here, I am going that can assist you,’ Gruda tells Sky Sports activities.
“The conversation was nice. Because everything’s so fast, you see everything go so quick, and he tried to help me.”
Did that dialog embrace getting Gruda to the degrees the place he can attain the World Cup by the summer season? “This is what we want, what I dream,” Gruda replies. “We both wish we can go.”
Beforehand, each Germans will likely be seeking to get Brighton as excessive as attainable within the Premier League, presumably to a different European spot.
And whereas a visit to Manchester Metropolis could also be a frightening match to in an try and get back-to-back league wins, it is price noting that Brighton did handle to assert three factors in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s facet within the Amex again in August, with Gruda scoring the winner.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Brighton’s match in opposition to Man Metropolis within the Premier League
“If you give 100 per cent every game, you can win against everyone. It doesn’t matter against who we play.
“Each little mistake may be harmful for us. They’ve good gamers in entrance all over the place. It’s extremely troublesome in opposition to them.
“But it’s football, you know. Everyone comes from the street when they start playing football, so everything’s the same. They’re all humans – so it doesn’t matter. If you have fun, enjoy it, you can beat everyone.”
Gross has already performed on the Etihad Stadium already this season, dropping 4-1 to Manchester Metropolis within the Champions League this season.
So can Brighton’s ‘one thing outdated, one thing new’ study from these previous errors and get them one other huge win?
“The team showed they can beat every team above,” says Gross. “But it’s also really hard to get a win against the teams below you.
“The Premier League? You by no means know. It’s best to all the time consider that we are able to put together effectively. We’ve a whole lot of high quality to harm them as effectively. However will probably be a tricky sport, we have to be actually, actually good to get one thing out of it.”
Wednesday seventh January 6:00pm
Kick off 7:30pm
Watch Man Metropolis vs Brighton dwell on Sky Sports activities this Wednesday evening, kick-off 7.30pm
