Alejandro Grimaldo has fond memories of his first trip to Azerbaijan. Before the plane with the Bayer Leverkusen entourage took off after the group game at Karabakh Agdam in November, the Spaniard’s first nomination for the national team was announced. There was loud applause on the plane because, in the eyes of everyone in Leverkusen, this appointment was overdue.
From today’s perspective, it seems absurd why the left-back was only given this honor at the age of 28. Similar to his counterpart Jeremie Frimpong, who had to turn almost 23 to play for the Netherlands for the first time.
When the Bundesliga table leaders play Agdam again in Baku in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday (6.45 p.m. CET/RTL), many European scouts will be looking at Frimpong and Grimaldo. The biggest clubs in Europe have long had the two on their list. Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool FC are said to be interested in the Dutchman, while his training club FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and FC Bayern are said to be interested in the Spaniard. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was asked on Sunday whether the two are the best wingers in Europe: “I don’t know whether they are the best,” said Alonso: “But they are top!”
Full-back as a goalscorer
In the hunt for three titles with the Leverkusen team, who have been without a title since 1993, the duo is actually compensating for the Werkself’s only real weakness at the moment. Because in the calendar year 2024, the center forwards Patrik Schick, Borja Iglesias and Adam Hlozek are still completely without a goal. But the full-backs make up for it.
The two scored again in the 2-0 derby win in Cologne. Frimpong now has eight league goals, Grimaldo even has nine. Only the injured Victor Boniface scored more often for Bayer. Both are in the top 14 in the Bundesliga’s top scorers list. Frimpong has already been directly involved in 20 goals across all competitions this season (ten goals and ten assists). Grimaldo, who has never lost a game in a Bayer Leverkusen jersey, even lost 22 (11/11). Almost unbelievable numbers for full-backs. Even if they are allowed to contribute offensively like these two.
Defense chief Jonathan Tah said with a laugh that he had to call them back “from time to time” because they were too offensive. “But both of them are already working well. And they’re both having a brutal season.” The fact that they move forward so often is of course Alonso’s clear instructions. “The coach always whips them during training so that they get into these dangerous spaces,” said Tah.
“Left-back-six-eight-ten”
“We often get them into good situations. But they are also without question top players,” said sports director Simon Rolfes. For national player Robert Andrich, Grimaldo is “the much better footballer with the ball. A kind of left-back six-eighth-ten”. Frimpong’s “strength is directness. But when it comes to goal threat and assists, both are top-notch.”
Especially because strong full-backs are in short supply around the world, it seems strange that both were ignored in their national teams for a long time. Frimpong was nominated for the 2022 World Cup by bond coach Louis van Gaal, but was not used before or during the tournament. His successor Ronald Koeman did not initially appoint him, citing the alleged lack of defensive work. When Frimpong then turned down an invitation to join the U21s, the situation seemed to be messed up. The right-back made his debut in October and is also hoping to play against Germany at the end of March.
In the case of Grimaldo, hardly anyone understood why the left-back, who was signed on a free transfer from Benfica in the summer, was not taken into account by coach Luis de la Fuente. Alonso sent the message to his Spanish homeland: “I can’t explain why he hasn’t played for Spain yet. But it’s my big recommendation.”
Meanwhile, Grimaldo complained that he was in the “best phase of my career and was waiting for this call.” In November, while he was in Baku for the first time, he finally came. Grimaldo was then allowed to play the full 90 minutes against Cyprus – and promptly prepared a goal.
