Speaking to the media following the demolition of Mikel Arteta’s side, Hurzeler was effusive in his praise for Gross. The head coach reiterated a comparison he had touched upon recently, highlighting how Gross seems to be getting better as he enters the twilight of his career. “We spoke about Pascal Gross and I said, I think in my last press conference, that you can compare him a little bit with a good wine. The older he gets, the better he is,” Hurzeler told reporters.
The manager was keen to stress that the midfielder’s influence is felt most keenly in the way he conducts himself during the working week, setting an example for the younger members of the squad. “He’s not only a player who makes his team-mates better, he’s not only a player who really understands the game so well. I think the things you can’t measure are the things we see in the daily business and on the training ground,” he added.