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Alejandro Grimaldo: The Perfect Wingback

June 16, 2024
Player Analysis, Bundesliga Analysis

Alejandro Grimaldo was born on 20th September 1995 in Valencia, Spain. He developed a passion for football from a very young age and started playing local games. He started his career as a central midfielder at Atlético Valbonense of Valencia in 2006 and spent his early years in the academy improving his basics. His performances for the Valencia academy caught the eyes of many clubs, and in the end, he joined the famous La Masia in 2008.

 

As a 13-year-old, Grimaldo had to adapt to the high tactical and technical demands of one of the world’s greatest academies. Coaches in the academy spotted his potential to be a left-back as he was good on both sides of the pitch. Grimaldo developed good positional skills as a fullback.

 

Training with future Barcelona stars helped him acquire good ball control, dribbling, passing, and crossing. In 2011, at just 15 years of age, Grimaldo made his debut for Barcelona B in the Segunda División. He was the youngest player to do so at that time, which showed his coaches’ trust in his abilities.

 

 

Over the years, Grimaldo stacked up 92 appearances for the B side, showcasing his solid defensive skill, his ability to build up play, and create chances. He stayed in the academy side until 2015; he became a leader and an example for his teammates on and off the pitch. While Grimaldo’s talent was recognized, he still couldn’t break into the first team and also had multiple injuries in between which stalled his progress.

 

In January 2016, Grimaldo was desperate to get regular first-team football which led to his move to the Portuguese side SL Benfica. Grimaldo made his debut for Benfica in January 2016 at Taca da Liga, coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Silvio in the 6-goal triumph against Moreirense. At the end of the 2015/2016 season, after making just two league appearances, Grimaldo won his first league title at Benfica.

 

Grimaldo slowly adapted to the new league and the team’s playing style. In the 2017-18 season, he started 28 games, scoring a goal and producing 4 assists. He created 36 chances and played 29 successful crosses. He completed 39 dribbles and had 2413 touches of the ball, which shows how involved he was in the buildup and ball progression phases of the game.

 

Defensively, he completed 54 tackles, 153 duels, 46 interceptions, 161 recoveries, and won the ball 10 times in the final third. Grimaldo’s performances were instrumental in Benfica’s campaign, helping them secure a second-place finish in the Primeira Liga. Despite some challenges in European competitions, Grimaldo’s development and influence were clear, solidifying his reputation as one of the top left-backs in the league.

 

 

“Alejandro Grimaldo is not just a left-back; he is a player who understands the game very well and can contribute significantly to both defense and attack. His intelligence on the pitch is impressive.” said Rui Vitória, his manager at the time.

 

In the 2018-19 season, Grimaldo was the best left-back in the league with 4 goals and 12 assists. He was the highest-ranked fullback for goals, assists, possession won in the final third, successful passes, successful dribbles, and touches in the opposition’s box.

 

He created 54 chances, played 50 successful crosses, and 94 long balls. Defensively, he won 177 duels and made 209 recoveries. This was a drastic improvement from his previous seasons. He had a defined way of playing and had the maturity to put his skills to great use, helping Benfica lift the title that season.

 

Grimaldo established himself as a top left-back in the world. He played with flair. He had great ball control and could dribble the ball on the left flank to progress it. He also had good pace to recover and make tackles. Grimaldo was very dangerous in the vicinity of the opposition’s box, delivering dangerous crosses with great ease.

 

 

He had a great mentality and didn’t shy away from challenging and winning duels. He was also very involved when the team had possession and used his long balls and through balls to good effect. He had a very well-rounded profile which made him very hard to deal with. Once in a while, he’d score a screamer from outside the box.

 

“Grimaldo’s work ethic and dedication are incredible. He is always trying to improve and helps lift the team with his performances.” quoted Julian Weigl (Former Benfica Teammate).

 

Grimaldo was consistently great for Benfica and was a leader in the squad. He continued performing at a high level, making 303 appearances, scoring 27 goals, and providing 51 assists. His achievements at Benfica include three Primeira Liga titles (2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19), one Taça de Portugal win (2016-17), and three Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira victories (2016, 2017, 2019).

 

Towards the end of his time at Benfica, there were growing speculations and interest from other clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen. These rumors intensified during the 2021-2022 season, and ultimately, in January 2022, Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen reached an agreement for the transfer of Grimaldo.

 

 

Bayer Leverkusen went on to create history by winning the 23-24 Bundesliga season as “Invincibles” under new manager Xabi Alonso. The season as a whole has sent shockwaves with Stuttgart finishing 2nd, above Bayern to secure Champions League football and FC Heidenheim coming from relegation to qualify for the Europa Conference League. 28-year-old Grimaldo has been one of the key players in Xabi’s system. He’s been given the license to play further up the pitch, which has given him the freedom to showcase his creative brilliance.

 

Matchday 4 against Bayern Munich: The match started with an early goal from Harry Kane in the 7th minute by heading a deflected corner from the far post where he was left unmarked. In the 24th minute, Leverkusen won a free kick outside the Bayern box and Grimaldo put it in the back of the net with a left-foot knuckleball to level the scores.

 

It was his debut goal for Leverkusen and it came with a classic strike. In the 88th minute, Tel demonstrated good skill on the left wing and squared the ball to Goretzka. Goretzka, with a calm finish, reinstated Bayern’s lead. There was late drama in the Allianz Arena when Leverkusen won a penalty in extra time. Palacios confidently swept the ball into the top corner to draw the game.

 

“If [Grimaldo] converts every dead ball like that, he’s always more than welcome to go for it! I said the same after the Bayern game,” said his teammate, Jonas Hofmann.

 

 

“With him, we have taken a big step forward in terms of stability, security in positional play, and consistency. Alejandro is not just a vertical player. He is an extremely intelligent and confident player on the ball,” said Simon Rolfes (Sporting Director), highlighting Grimaldo’s ability and intelligence as a player.

 

Matchday 10 against TSG Hoffenheim: In the 9th minute of the match, Wirtz received the ball on the right flank. He progressed with the ball and played a great give-and-go move with Boniface in the right corner. Boniface then squared it back to him, and he calmly finished from the center of the box.

 

During extra time in the first half, Hoffmann took a corner for Bayern. He played it to the edge of the box for Grimaldo, who struck it sweetly first-time to double the lead. Stach caught the goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over him to pull one back for Hoffenheim in the 56th minute, and Wout Weghorst scored from a long shot in the 58th minute, leveling the scores rapidly.

 

In the 70th minute, Boniface managed to hold the ball on the left side of the box. He then played a ball through a crowd of defenders, and Grimaldo, who was waiting for the ball, slotted it into the left corner with his left foot to win the game.

 

 

Matchday 18 vs RB Leipzig: In the 7th minute, Leipzig took an early lead. Simmons demonstrated great control in the box, receiving a lob from the left corner, taking two touches, and then slotting it into the bottom right corner. Leipzig were the dominant side until halftime.

 

At the start of the second half, Grimaldo played a great ball from the left which went through everyone in the D. Tella at the far post made a smart run and put it into the left corner to level the scores. In the 56th minute, Leipzig executed a great counter-attacking move and Openda finished it off to regain the one-goal lead.

 

Tah leveled it again, scoring from a corner and demonstrating his strength. In extra time, Grimaldo looped in a corner from the right. Hincapie got to the end of it, helping Leverkusen win it late.

 

“Alejandro’s vision and precision were key to us turning the game around. His deliveries were perfect,” mentioned Nathan Tella, who scored from Grimaldo’s cutback.

 

 

These three games highlight Grimaldo’s versatility and the many ways in which he helps the team to win. Highlighting Grimaldo’s influence on the team, Alonso quoted, “Alejandro has added much to our side with his assured performances and ability from set-pieces.”

 

Florian Wirtz also acknowledged Grimaldo’s influence, highlighting his technical prowess and versatility. Wirtz stated, “Grimaldo is a fantastic player. His precision and creativity add a new dimension to our attack. Playing alongside him has been a great experience.”

 

Grimaldo finished the season with 10 goals and 13 assists in 33 games. He was on top of the assists chart in Bundesliga 23-24. He created 78 chances, put in 55 crosses, had 20 successful dribbles, 168 recoveries and won the ball 18 times in the final 3rd. He displayed his consistency and professionalism by maintaining these stats throughout his career. He played a crucial role in the invincible season, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal.

 

His great performance has helped him earn his first international call-up for Spain at the Euro 2024 where he’ll look to impress his countrymen. His international manager De La Fuente praised his abilities, quoting,”Grimaldo brings a unique blend of defensive solidity and attacking flair to our squad. His ability to contribute both defensively and offensively from the left-back position is invaluable.”

 

By: @TSpec1al

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Carlos Rodrigues – Getty Images

 

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