Álex Grimaldo
Alejandro Grimaldo García (born 20 September 1995) known as Álex Grimaldo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Spain national team.
| Grimaldo with Benfica in 2020 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alejandro Grimaldo García | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Left wing-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bayer Leverkusen | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atlético Valbonense | |||
| 2006–2008 | Valencia | ||
| 2008–2012 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2016 | Barcelona B | 92 | (6) |
| 2016–2023 | Benfica | 197 | (19) |
| 2023– | Bayer Leverkusen | 11 | (7) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | Spain U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Spain U17 | 8 | (1) |
| 2012–2014 | Spain U19 | 9 | (0) |
| 2013–2016 | Spain U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | Spain | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:56, 12 November 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:50, 16 November 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career edit
Barcelona edit
Born in Valencia, Valencian Community, Grimaldo joined Barcelona's youth system in 2008. He made his official debut for the B-team on 4 September 2011, starting in a 4–0 away win against Cartagena at the age of 15 years and 349 days and becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a Segunda División game, before he was surpassed by Lamine Yamal in 2023.[2][3]
On 23 February 2013, Grimaldo suffered a serious knee injury, being ruled out for the remainder of the season.[4] He returned to action in January of the following year,[5] appearing in 14 matches to help his team finish in third position.
On 13 September 2014, Grimaldo scored his first professional goal, netting his side's last in a 3–2 success at Alavés.[6] In a campaign which saw the team relegated, he netted four times in 36 matches; he and Sergi Palencia were sent off on 25 April 2015, in a 2–1 win over Ponferradina at the Mini Estadi.[7]
Benfica edit
On 29 December 2015, as his contract was about to expire,[8] Grimaldo signed with Portuguese champions Benfica until 2021, for €1.5 million. Barcelona has the right to a percentage of a future sale.[9]
Grimaldo played his first game with his new team on 26 January 2016, coming in as a 62nd-minute substitute for Sílvio in a 6–1 away routing of Moreirense for the Taça da Liga.[10] He debuted in the Primeira Liga on 29 February, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home win against União da Madeira;[11] he only appeared once more in the latter competition until the end of the season, filling in for suspended Eliseu[12] in a 4–1 success over Nacional also at the Estádio da Luz that sealed the club's third consecutive national championship.[13] He remained in the team for the league cup final on 20 May, the 6–2 defeat of Marítimo at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra.[14]
Grimaldo's first full season began on 7 August 2016, as he started in a 3–0 win against Braga for the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira in Aveiro, assisting Franco Cervi for the opening goal.[15] On 2 October he scored his first goal for the club, a free kick to conclude a 4–0 home triumph over Feirense;[16] on 28 May 2017, he played the full 90 minutes in the final of the Taça de Portugal, won after defeating Vitória de Guimarães 2–1.[17]
Grimaldo's maiden appearance in the UEFA Champions League took place on 13 September 2016, when he played the entire 1–1 group stage home draw to Beşiktaş.[18] His first goal in the competition came during the same stage but on 2 October 2018, in a 3–2 away win over AEK Athens;[19] he repeated the feat against the latter opponent on 12 December in the return fixture, his 30-meter free kick in the 88th minute helping to a 1–0 victory.[20]
Bayer Leverkusen edit
On 21 May 2023, Grimaldo signed a four-year contract with German club Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer.[21] On 12 August, he made his debut in a DFB-Pokal match against FC Teutonia Ottensen.[22] On 15 September, he scored his first goal for the club, a direct free kick from the edge of the box away at Bayern Munich in a 2–2 draw.[23]
International career edit
Grimaldo won his first cap for the Spain under-21 team on 5 February 2013 – before he had turned 18 – playing the second half of a 1–1 friendly draw in Belgium.[24]
On 10 November 2023, Grimaldo received his first call-up to the Spain senior national team, for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Georgia.[25] Six days later, he made his debut as a starter against Cyprus, assisting Mikel Oyarzabal for Spain's second goal in a 3–1 away victory.[26]
Career statistics edit
Club edit
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 2011–12 | Segunda División | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 24 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||||||
| 2013–14 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||||||
| 2014–15 | 36 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 4 | ||||||
| 2015–16 | Segunda División B | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 92 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 92 | 6 | ||||||
| Benfica | 2015–16 | Primeira Liga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 37 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | 34 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15[e] | 3 | — | 54 | 7 | |||
| 2019–20 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8[f] | 0 | 1[d] | 1 | 41 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7[g] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14[c] | 0 | — | 48 | 6 | |||
| 2022–23 | 33 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14[c] | 2 | — | 54 | 8 | |||
| Total | 197 | 19 | 25 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 66 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 303 | 27 | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 12 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 4[h] | 2 | — | 18 | 9 | ||
| Career total | 300 | 31 | 27 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 70 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 412 | 41 | ||
- ^ Includes Taça de Portugal and DFB-Pokal
- ^ Includes Taça da Liga
- ^ a b c d Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ a b c d Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
- ^ Ten appearances and two goals in UEFA Champions League, five appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
Honours edit
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2015–16,[13] 2016–17, 2018–19, 2022–23[29]
- Taça de Portugal: 2016–17
- Taça da Liga: 2015–16[30]
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2016,[27] 2017,[31] 2019[32]
Spain
Individual
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012[34]
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2018–19[35]
- Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2018–19,[36] 2022–23[37]
- Primeira Liga Defender of the Month: December/January 2023,[38] February 2023[39]
References edit
- ^ "Grimaldo". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ García, Gregorio (4 September 2011). "Vuelve el mejor Barça B con un festival goleador en Cartagonova" [The best Barça B return with a scoring festival in Cartagonova]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ Gascón, Javier (5 September 2011). "Alejandro Grimaldo, la seducción de un lateral de 15 años" [Alejandro Grimaldo, the allure of a 15-year-old fullback]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ "Alejandro Grimaldo sufre una rotura del ligamento cruzado anterior y del ligamento lateral externo de la rodilla" [Alejandro Grimaldo suffers an anterior cruciate ligament and a lateral collateral injury] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- ^ "Grimaldo vuelve ante el Mirandés... y Masip se queda fuera" [Grimaldo returns against Mirandés... and Masip stays out]. Sport (in Spanish). 18 January 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- ^ "El Barça B se lleva los tres puntos con susto final" [Barça B take the three points with a final scare]. Marca (in Spanish). 13 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- ^ "Una genialidad de Munir da aire a un filial que acabó con nueve" [Genius from Munir gives air to a reserve team which finished with nine]. Marca (in Spanish). 25 April 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ Nogueira, Carlos (18 December 2015). "Grimaldo ruma à Luz por um milhão de euros" [Grimaldo heads to Luz for one million euros]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ^ ""Tenho muita ambição em crescer neste clube"" [I have a lot of ambition of growing in this club] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^ "Classe e magia no check-in para as "meias"" [Class and magic in "semis" check-in] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "Quem tem um Jonas, tem tudo" [He who has a Jonas, has everything] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^ "Gaitán volta com Talisca e Grimaldo no onze" [Gaitán returns with Talisca and Grimaldo in XI]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 14 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Génio de Gaitán dá o 'tri' ao Benfica" [Gaitán genius gives ‘tri’ to Benfica] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Benfica continua a ser o rei da Taça da Liga" [Benfica are still League Cup kings] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "El Benfica campeón de la Supercopa gracias a Cervi y Pizzi" [Benfica are Supercup champions thanks to Cervi and Pizzi]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 8 August 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Benfica goleia o Feirense" [Benfica thrash Feirense]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 2 October 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Oito minutos à Benfica garantiram a 11.ª dobradinha" [Eight Benfica-like minutes confirmed 11th double]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 28 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
- ^ "Talisca, o dispensado, roubou uma vitória que parecia certa" [Talisca, the surplus, robbed almost certain win]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 September 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ Béu, Mariana (2 October 2018). "Benfica com triunfo sofrido sobre o AEK (3–2). Seferovic e Grimaldo marcaram, gregos empataram e Alfa Semedo resolveu – como aconteceu" [Benfica with hard-fought win over AEK (3–2). Seferovic and Grimaldo scored, Greek drew and Alfa Semedo decided it – how it happened]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ Celso, Marcos (12 December 2018). "Benfica vence AEK de Atenas com grande golo de Grimaldo" [Benfica beat AEK Athens with great Grimaldo goal] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ "Bayer 04 sign Grimaldo from Benfica". BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN. 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
- ^ "Leverkusen bezwingt Ottensen klar und deutlich" (in German). sportschau.de. 12 August 2023.
- ^ "FC Bayern München 2–2 Bayer 04 Leverkusen". Bundesliga. 15 September 2023.
- ^ Villalobos, Fran (5 February 2013). "España invierte en su futuro" [Spain invest in their future]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ^ "Grimaldo convocado pela primeira vez para a seleção espanhola" [Grimaldo called-up for the first time for the Spanish national team] (in European Portuguese). A Bola. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ "Euro-2024 Espanha derrota Chipre com boa estreia de Grimaldo" [Euro 2024 Spain beats Cyprus with good debut by Grimaldo] (in European Portuguese). A Bola. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ^ a b Álex Grimaldo at Soccerway
- ^ at ForaDeJogo (archived). Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ Kundert, Tom (27 May 2023). "Benfica crowned champions of Portugal". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Depois do "tri", o "hepta". Benfica goleia e vence Taça da Liga" [After "tri", "hepta". Benfica rout and win League Cup] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ^ "Benfica vence V. Guimarães (3–1) e faz a festa em Aveiro" [Benfica defeat V. Guimarães (3–1) and get the party started in Aveiro]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 5 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- ^ Benfica 5–0 Sporting Lisbon Soccerway
- ^ "La sub´19, campeona de Europa" [The under-19s, European champions]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 15 July 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "Technical report" (PDF). UEFA. p. 13. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "UEFA Europa League Squad of the 2018/19 Season". UEFA.com. 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Vencedores dos Prémios Oficiais da Liga Portugal 2018-2019". Liga Portugal. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
- ^ "11 do Ano fechado com avançado do SC Braga (fotogaleria) (Liga)". A Bola (in Portuguese). 25 June 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ "Grimaldo distinguido com o Prémio de Defesa do Mês da Liga Portugal bwin" [Grimaldo distinguished with Liga Portugal bwin' Defender of the Month Award]. Liga Portugal (in European Portuguese). 13 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Grimaldo wins February Defender of the Month in Liga Portugal bwin". Liga Portugal. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
External links edit
- Profile at the S.L. Benfica website
- Álex Grimaldo at BDFutbol
- Álex Grimaldo at Futbolme (in Spanish)
- Álex Grimaldo – UEFA competition record ()