Alejandro Grimaldo had every reason to follow Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. Close working relationship, mutual trust, a title-winning partnership at Leverkusen. And yet, nothing came of it.
"Ever since he brought me to Leverkusen, we've been very close. We've had a lot of success together, and he trusted me a lot," Grimaldo told AS. "But when you go to a club like Madrid, I guess you can't bring in every player you like."
Honest, measured, and a little telling. The link was real — both parties clearly considered it — but Alonso arrived at the Bernabéu to find a squad already stacked at left back, and Grimaldo stayed put in Germany.
Grimaldo's verdict on Alonso's Madrid exit
The more interesting part of the interview was Grimaldo's reaction to Alonso's dismissal from Real Madrid — a tenure that ended before it really got started.
"Yes, I was surprised. I was one of those who said he was going to be successful, and I still think he will be," he said. "I know his mindset, his ideas about football, and I know he has an incredible future ahead of him. But the Madrid locker room... in the end, it's all about results. Although I don't think they were doing badly at the time he left."
That last line is careful but pointed. Grimaldo isn't throwing anyone under the bus, but he's clearly not entirely convinced the results alone justified the decision. Few are.
Alonso now heads to Chelsea — a rebuild job in a different mold entirely. Whether he thrives in the Premier League will be a much sterner test of his coaching credentials than his brief, turbulent spell in Madrid.
What this means for Grimaldo and Leverkusen
With the Alonso reunion officially buried, Grimaldo's future belongs entirely to Leverkusen — at least for now. He remains one of the best left backs in the Bundesliga, and the side are still genuine title contenders. His value on the market hasn't dropped; if anything, the Madrid flirtation probably raised his profile.
Anyone pricing Leverkusen's defensive output this season should note that Grimaldo's attacking returns from full back are a genuine part of their structure — not a bonus. He's not just covering ground; he's generating chances.
"We had to go our separate ways," he said of Alonso. "He's now at Chelsea. I wish him the best."
Clean break. Different chapters. Both with things to prove.
