Alejandro Grimaldo, the star that escaped Barça for its left-handed side

The FC Barcelona has stood out historically for having in The Masia a mine inagotable of talent. The majority of these canteranos 'top' attain to fulfil the big dream to debut in the first team culé and do career in him, since the Barça always has characterised for offering good opportunities to his 'jewels' and trust the talent of the house. Nevertheless, also there are cases in which the young promises culés, by diverse causes, have had to abandon the club and triumph later in other teams, leaving like this to the Barcelona cast without being able to enjoy of his services.

One of the cases that more echoes at present, in addition to the ones of Xavi Simons and Dani Elm, is the one of Alejandro Grimaldo, the one who at present stands out in the surprising Bayer Leverkusen of Xabi Alonso. Grimaldo has turned into one of the best (if no the best) carrilero left of the Bundesliga and other international tournaments, adding already 11 annotations and 14 assistances in what it goes of the season 2023-24. Data especially notable if it values that in the actuality, the Catalan cast does not have a lot of players of high level in this demarcation.

Why it left to go the FC Barcelona to Alejandro Grimaldo?

The Valencian had to leave the City Condal in the market of winter of 2016 without debuting in the first Barcelona team, in spite of having gone through the inferior categories of the club, from the Basic Football until the Juvenile To, and finally arrive to the Barça Atlètic. After contesting 92 meetings, convert six targets and give 12 passes to goal with the filial, Grimaldo left to the SL Benfica leaving 2 M€ in the arks of the Barcelonan square. Apparently, his exit was a combination of acts of indiscipline, character and attitude, and the few opportunities that had to debut in the first team. When seeming, did not have the approval of Luis Enrique by the reasons mentioned previously.

In fact, still it remembers how in October of 2015, Grimaldo did some statements in 'RAC1' that many interpreted like a challenge and one of the main reasons of the bad relation with the Asturian trainer. It said: "Never it has said me at all, I have not had any contact with him. Neither I have at all that speak with him". Equally, it added another little favourable comment for this relation: "I work with my míster. I carry me very well with him, it helps me in everything and helps me to be better. That the one of up was with his players and I will be with my team".

The picture culé no propició the return of the polyvalent Valencian side

Finally, Grimaldo happened eight campaigns in Portugal with the SL Benfica, from the 2015-16 until the 2022-23. During this time, contested 303 commitments with 'The Eagles', invoiceing 27 so many and awarding 66 assistances. It established like one of the left sides more stood out of Europe and, in spite of his stellar level, the FC Barcelona did not consider seriously the option to recover it, in spite of being a 'old known' of the club. Added to this, his value of market was affordable (between 20 and 25 M€ as 'Transfermarkt'). When finalising the past season, Grimaldo left the combined Portuguese like free agent, what also could have been an option to explore by part of the Catalan cast.

In the actuality, Alejandro Grimaldo has turned into a key player in the diagram of Xabi Alonso. Although it considers him a left side, the tolosarra has situated it in a species of hybrid between the functions of extreme and interior by the left. This change has had a positive impact in his statistics and has increased his value of market, that at present situates in 35 M€. This puts of self-evident the opportunity of gold that the FC Barcelona lost to the not recovering to a player that could have formed a big pair with Alejandro Balde and even could have been an option like left extreme, a position where the Barcelonan group needs variants.