Pascal Groß shows himself to be a real alternative to Joshua Kimmich – and also lets captain Ilkay Gündogan shine in new splendor.
Pascal Groß did not allow himself to be lured. “No!” the challenger answered energetically when asked whether he could fight a duel with top dog Joshua Kimmich towards the European Championships. Why so modest? “Because I know my role,” said the 32-year-old after his strong performance in the 3-1 (1-1) win against the USA: “It was nice to play today.” But a EURO duel with Kimmich? “No!” emphasized Groß.
He would have had every reason to appear bolder from the start after his first international match. Not only did the Brighton & Hove professional like Albion himself – he impressed as a maker of improvements and also helped Ilkay Gündogan to finally radiate the shine in the national team that the captain has been radiating at the club for years.
So in the future, can Groß keep the place of Kimmich, who left sick and who had already lost the captain’s armband and his midfield position under Hansi Flick? “Everyone has the chance, the performance principle applies,” said the new national coach Julian Nagelsmann and praised Groß: “Pascal is a very smart and intelligent footballer, very clever in space, in binding opponents, is courageous and has good counter-pressing, can play many positions.”
“Ilkay gives every player a good feeling”
Groß, who has been playing in England since 2017, has been “a bit under the radar for years” in Germany, as Nagelsmann noted. It was only Flick who brought him into the DFB selection for the first time in September, where he now won Nagelsmann over. “He has a sparkle in his eyes,” enthused the national coach, “for him the national team is something special, he’s on fire.”
And in his third international match he harmonized very well with Gündogan, who was able to fully develop his strengths. But Groß saw it more as if he himself had benefited from Gündogan. “Ilkay gives every player a good feeling,” he said, “he is an absolute top player who has incredible game intelligence and ball security. I felt comfortable on the pitch, we did well.”
And provided good arguments for maintaining this model at Kimmich’s expense. “Pascal and Ilkay moved very cleverly and very well between the lines,” said Nagelsmann and praised Gündogan for an “outstanding game.”
The 32-year-old is “not a loudspeaker”, he rather leads the team “very subtly and intelligently” with his style “as a footballer, he is worth a lot.”
Also for Nagelsmann? Gündogan, said the coach, had been playing “at a top-top-top level in the club for years, why shouldn’t that be the case in the national team?” He thinks he knows the recipe for seeing the Manchester or Barcelona Ilkay in the DFB jersey. “You just have to strengthen him and support him.” And obviously put Pascal Groß at his side.