Bayer Leverkusen's 'free-kick monster' Alejandro Grimaldo a nightmare for Bundesliga goalkeepers
On Matchday 3, Alejandro Grimaldo retained his crown as the Bundesliga's set-piece king whilst also etching his name into the German top-flight's history books with his outrageous free-kick brace for Bayer Leverkusen against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Whilst it has long been purported that there are only two certainties in life, since July 2023, it seems there has been a third: Grimaldo scoring free-kicks for Leverkusen.
The Spaniard's dead-ball double against Frankfurt on Matchday 3 - which sealed a 3-1 victory for Die Werkself - marked his fourth and fifth Bundesliga goals from a direct free-kick (six in all competitions) since his arrival on a free transfer from Benfica ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. In that same timeframe, no other player across Europe's top five leagues has managed more.
Watch: Grimaldo's free-kick goals
In fact, Grimaldo has taken a total of 29 direct free-kicks in the Bundesliga to date, meaning he has scored from roughly every sixth attempt - a conversion rate that, needless to say, is outrageous.
Additionally, scoring directly from two free-kicks in the same game is something seldom seen in professional football, let alone in the Bundesliga. As a result, with such a feat, the Spaniard has become only the eighth player in German top-flight history to do so, joining the ranks of Hamburg legend Rodolfo Cardoso and Borussia Mönchengladbach cult hero Thomas Kastenmaier.
You have to go back over a decade, to Matchday 4 of the 2014/15 campaign, for the last time a brace of this kind was scored, courtesy of Hertha Berlin's Ronny in a 2-2 draw away to Freiburg.
Watch: Free-kick braces
It's clear that Grimaldo is cut from a different cloth when it comes to set-pieces, and his teammates know it too. Grimaldo's former opposite number on the wing for Leverkusen, Jeremie Frimpong, once dubbed him a "free-kick monster", whilst also describing his left foot as "a joke".
Current teammate Patrik Schick echoed this sentiment, once saying: "That’s like a penalty for him from that position" - a claim which Grimaldo has denied. The Spaniard insists humbly his technique is simply down to the hours put in on the training ground. Speaking after the Frankfurt game, Grimaldo put it simply: "I have worked on free-kicks for many years, and this is the result."
With regards to how he developed such a technique, Leverkusen's number 20 cited legendary free-kick takers Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Juninho as his main sources of inspiration in his interview upon signing for the Werkself back in 2023.
Amazingly, it's not just Grimaldo's set-piece delivery which sets him apart at Leverkusen, but also the sheer consistency of his performances. Since his move to Germany, the wing-back has proved utterly indispensable, missing just three Bundesliga matches, and has played every minute of the current campaign too.
In total, Grimaldo has 14 goals and 21 assists to his name in the league, albeit with 12 of his 35 goal involvements coming from set-pieces (five goals, seven assists).
One of the few remaining key figures from Xabi Alonso's double-winning side, the wing-back was arguably Leverkusen's most integral player that season, recording 10 goals and 13 assists, which comprised the most goal involvements of any player at the club that season and the most assists league-wide.
New head coach Kasper Hjulmand, for whom victory over Frankfurt marked his first win in his first game in charge at Leverkusen, acknowledged the former Barcelona man's all-round importance, saying after the game: “Even aside from his two goals today, he played outstandingly. He has incredible quality. We’re very happy to have him with us.”
The Dane will no doubt be hoping he can consistently call upon Grimaldo's title-winning mentality and experience within a now very young squad at Leverkusen as he begins his tenure at Die Werkself.
Incidentally, Grimaldo will turn 30 on Saturday - the day before Leverkusen welcome Gladbach to the BayArena for their Matchday 4 clash. Will the Foals join the ever-growing list of sides to come undone by the Spanish magician's set-piece wizadry?
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