In Lisbon, Alejandro Grimaldo became a top full-back. Now he is returning to Benfica with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Champions League game in Lisbon will be a special return for Alejandro Grimaldo. The Spaniard played for Benfica for seven years, where he became one of the best full-backs in Europe. Now the 30-year-old is returning Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday (9 p.m.) as opponents – and wants to finally make an exclamation mark with the Werkself in Europe.
Grimaldo is Bayer’s most dangerous weapon this season. He has already converted three free kicks and shapes the Werkself’s offensive game with his technique and game intelligence. On paper he is a left-back, but under coach Kasper Hjulmand he is often a playmaker. The national player leads the team and, after the big upheaval in the summer, is currently producing the most consistent performance of all Leverkusen players.
Playmaker Grimaldo at the limit
His move in the summer of 2023 was closely linked to compatriot Xabi Alonso. Even after the end of the Alonso era, the FC Barcelona-trained kicker is not lacking in drive. “I’m very motivated – and physically in better shape than ever. I want to make the difference, drive and support the team when necessary, and also help the younger ones. That’s my mentality,” Grimaldo recently told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
Alejandro Grimaldo in the Benfica Lisbon jersey
But between Bundesligacup and premier class, Grimaldo is under constant pressure, the workload is enormous. After the exhausting cup drama in Paderborn, the Spaniard took a break for the first time this season in the 3-0 defeat in Munich. “He didn’t have the red flag, but the orange one, or rather the dark orange one from the doctors. He played very intensively in so many games,” his coach Hjulmand said about the forced break.
Leverkusen under pressure in the premier class
In the Champions League, Bayer urgently needs freshness, leadership – and above all points. After two draws at the beginning, there was a bitter 2:7 against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. With just two points, the Werkself are 30th in the table. under pressure. “If we want to get into the top 24, three points would be important,” said Bayer managing director Fernando Carro in the Sport1 program “Doppelpass”.
The guest appearance in Lisbon takes Bayer to an opponent who has not yet gotten going. The Portuguese, trained by star coach José Mourinho, started the European Cup even weaker: they had to cope with three defeats. So far that means zero points. And while Benfica was able to score two goals against Qarabağ Ağdam at the start, they were unable to score their own goals against Chelsea and Newcastle.
For Grimaldo, the reunion with his former club will be an important test of his leadership skills – possibly even with the captain’s armband on his arm, as Robert Andrich is suspended for two games after his red card against PSG. With a strong performance, the Spaniard could give Bayer the much-needed boost and prove that the Werkself still have a chance of progressing despite the bumpy start in the premier class.
Our sources:
