Germany U21 manager Antonio Di Salvo selected Gruda for the team’s matches this month, collaborating with Fabian Hürzeler to help the 20-year-old regain his form and fitness, as reported by Kicker.
Gruda played in a match against Poland on Tuesday, after which he spoke with Kicker about his fitness progress. When asked about his readiness to play, he said, “Yes, in consultation with the coach and the medical team, I felt great this time and got my playing time accordingly. The plan was initially 45 minutes – but it’s good that I was able to play an extra 10 minutes, even if it got tougher towards the end. Everything is going according to plan, and now it’s just about moving forward.”
Gruda is optimistic about quickly returning to peak form, saying, “I don’t think there’s much left to do, just a few more training sessions, and I’ll be back in top shape.”
The former 1. FSV Mainz 05 player was eager to be part of the Germany U21 squad this month, seeing it as an opportunity to aid his Premier League ambitions. He shared, “I’ve been dealing with issues for a while, having missed six weeks and not played a game this season. The question was whether I could handle the workload due to the pain, but I really wanted to be here and see if things would improve with the U21s. The atmosphere here is fantastic, we’re having a lot of fun, and the games are going well.
“It makes sense for me to get playing time here: It’s beneficial for my stamina and performance, especially as I’m playing for Brighton again. It’s like preparation for the Premier League.”
Gruda is now focused on earning more minutes with Brighton, confident he can achieve this soon. “My goal is to stay fit and secure more playing time at Brighton. Of course, everyone wants to play, but that comes with hard work in training and solid performances during my opportunities – and it will happen…”
When asked if Hürzeler had similar expectations, Gruda responded: “Of course he does – but that drive is already in me. I’m not easing up; I’m giving everything in training!”
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