‘Best-case scenario’: Pascal Groß opens up on BVB exit | OneFootball

After his winter departure from Borussia Dortmund, Pascal Groß flourished again at Brighton & Hove Albion. The former BVB star has now spoken about the reasons for his move and the consequences, all the way to his World Cup nomination.

The move back to Brighton & Hove Albion has apparently paid off for Pascal Groß in every respect. After the midfielder had increasingly been reduced to a backup role at Borussia Dortmund under coach Niko Kovac during the first half of the season, the veteran decided to return to the Premier League in winter – and shortly afterward even made it into Germany’s World Cup squad.

Speaking to kicker, Groß made it clear that he does not regret leaving Dortmund at all. “It was definitely a very good decision,” the 34-year-old said in retrospect. Regular playing time in England in particular helped him find his footing again at the highest level. After returning to Brighton, Groß immediately re-established himself as a key player in Fabian Hürzeler’s team.

In the second half of the season, he was almost constantly in the starting lineup and played a major role in the Seagulls securing qualification for the Conference League. The reward followed shortly afterward: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann nominated the experienced midfielder for the World Cup. For Groß, who is now on the verge of making his World Cup debut, the circle is now complete. “The best-case scenario I had hoped for with this step has happened,” he said with satisfaction.

Groß speaks about his role under BVB coach Kovac

In Dortmund, competition in central midfield had recently intensified significantly. Alongside Felix Nmecha, Jobe Bellingham, Marcel Sabitzer, and Carney Chukwuemeka, among others, were battling for playing time. Groß nevertheless views the fact that he was no longer a regular under Kovac in a matter-of-fact way: “Football is always also a matter of opinion; you always have to see whether a player fits somewhere or not, also with regard to the systems.”

Photo: IMAGO

Despite his early departure, the midfielder looks back on his time at BVB without bitterness. Overall, Groß made 41 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund and provided 11 assists. He bears no grudge over his backup role: “I simply went my own way.”

Another club change is not currently up for discussion for the World Cup-bound player anyway. Groß wants to see out his contract at Brighton and has already made it clear: “Yes, I will definitely keep playing there.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.