Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen full-back and Spanish international, spoke to El Larguero
about his club form, the national team, and Xabi Alonso’s work at Real Madrid. Grimaldo has started the season strongly with four goals and two assists, keeping himself in Luis de la Fuente’s plans. “We’ll see tomorrow. I always have the hope of being called up, so I’ll know at 11:30 after training,” he said.On Álvaro Carreras, who replaced him at Benfica before joining Madrid, Grimaldo urged patience:
“Both he and Real Madrid have started very well. People want to talk too quickly when these players break through, but you have to wait and see how they develop.”
Asked about national team controversies, Grimaldo downplayed recent criticism from Hansi Flick: “There are always problems between federations and clubs when someone gets injured. Nobody is to blame. Everyone wants the best players. Whoever plays for Spain is there because he can and wants to.”
Finally, on Alonso’s early months in Madrid, Grimaldo was clear: “He’s won almost every game. He knows the club, he’s been a player, and he understands what goes through your head when you don’t play. He likes dialogue—he’s the right person for that dressing room.”
