Brighton & Hove Albion, under the management of Roberto De Zerbi, are experiencing a successful season. They currently hold the seventh position in the league, having achieved notable victories over Manchester United and Newcastle United. Additionally, in the Europa League, they secured their first point in a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Ligue 1 Marseille.
This impressive performance is even more remarkable because they lost key players Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister during the summer. The work done by De Zerbi is not only commendable in the Premier League but is also drawing attention in European football. Now, there is more positive news for the team.
Despite the setback of losing Mac Allister and Caicedo, Brighton faced injuries in midfield early in the Premier League season, with Julio Enciso and Solly March sidelined. With a demanding schedule in both domestic and European competitions, they needed some positive news regarding player availability.
Fortunately, Jakub Moder, who had been sidelined for over a year due to an ACL injury sustained against Norwich City in April 2022, is back in full training. It’s noteworthy that Moder hasn’t even played a single match under De Zerbi, emphasizing the long road to recovery he has undergone.
Moder’s return comes at a crucial time as Brighton aims to secure their first Europa League win against Ajax and get back to winning ways in the Premier League against Fulham.
Jakub Moder’s journey with Brighton has been tumultuous. He joined the club for £7 million in the summer of 2020, spent a loan period at Lech Poznan, and then started his Brighton career under Graham Potter before being sidelined by injury. He had to undergo two surgeries and missed not only the end of the 2021/22 season but also the entire previous campaign, during which Brighton earned a Europa League spot. Now, his return to full training marks the first step towards rejoining the squad under De Zerbi.
When in peak form, Moder has received praise in the past, including from former Poland manager Paulo Sousa, who acknowledged his technical skills and physical attributes while highlighting the need to improve his intensity for top leagues like the Premier League.
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