Álex Grimaldo

Alejandro "Álex" Grimaldo García (born 20 September 1995) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back or left wing-back for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Grimaldo and the second or maternal family name is García.
Álex Grimaldo
Grimaldo with Benfica in 2020
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Grimaldo García
Date of birth (1995-09-20) 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 5 (2)
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)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 September 2023

Club career

Barcelona
Grimaldo with Barcelona B in 2012

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

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 with Benfica in 2019

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

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 2023, he scored his first goal for the club, a direct free kick from the edge of the box away at Bayern Munich.

International career

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.[23]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 26 October 2023.[24][25]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barcelona B 2011–12 Segunda División 10————10
2012–13 Segunda División 240————240
2013–14 Segunda División 140————140
2014–15 Segunda División 364————364
2015–16 Segunda División B 172————172
Total 926————926
Benfica 2015–16 Primeira Liga 200030000050
2016–17 Primeira Liga 14220004010212
2017–18 Primeira Liga 28130104010371
2018–19 Primeira Liga 3444010153—547
2019–20 Primeira Liga 26060008011411
2020–21 Primeira Liga 31240007010432
2021–22 Primeira Liga 2952130140—486
2022–23 Primeira Liga 3354130142—548
Total 197192521106654130327
Bayer Leverkusen 2023–24 Bundesliga 831[lower-alpha 1]0—3[lower-alpha 2]2—125
Career total 296272621106974140637
  1. Appearances in DFB-Pokal
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Benfica

Spain

Individual

References
  1. "Grimaldo". S.L. Benfica. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. "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.
  5. "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.
  6. "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.
  7. "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.
  8. 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.
  9. ""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.
  10. "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.
  11. "Quem tem um Jonas, tem tudo" [He who has a Jonas, has everything] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  12. "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.
  13. "Génio de Gaitán dá o 'tri' ao Benfica" [Gaitán genius gives ‘tri’ to Benfica] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  14. "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.
  15. "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.
  16. "Benfica goleia o Feirense" [Benfica thrash Feirense]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 2 October 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  17. "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.
  18. "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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. "Bayer 04 sign Grimaldo from Benfica". BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN. 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  22. "Leverkusen bezwingt Ottensen klar und deutlich" (in German). sportschau.de. 12 August 2023.
  23. Villalobos, Fran (5 February 2013). "España invierte en su futuro" [Spain invest in their future]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  24. Álex Grimaldo at Soccerway
  25. Álex Grimaldo at ForaDeJogo (archived). Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  26. Kundert, Tom (27 May 2023). "Benfica crowned champions of Portugal". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  27. "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.
  28. "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.
  29. Benfica 5–0 Sporting Lisbon Soccerway
  30. "La sub´19, campeona de Europa" [The under-19s, European champions]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 15 July 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  31. "Technical report" (PDF). UEFA. p. 13. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  32. "UEFA Europa League Squad of the 2018/19 Season". UEFA.com. 30 May 2019.
  33. "Vencedores dos Prémios Oficiais da Liga Portugal 2018-2019". Liga Portugal. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  34. "11 do Ano fechado com avançado do SC Braga (fotogaleria) (Liga)". A Bola (in Portuguese). 25 June 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  35. "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.
  36. "Grimaldo wins February Defender of the Month in Liga Portugal bwin". Liga Portugal. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
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