Grimaldo: I am an expert in free kicks. It is difficult to replicate if I win the championship unbeaten in the season.

In an interview with the official Bundesliga website, Leverkusen defender Grimaldo talked about topics such as Leverkusen's reconstruction and his role in the team. The team's lineup has undergone many changes in the summer, against Borussia Mönchengladbach, with only four starters being the starters in the last game of last season - yes, we've brought in a lot of new players - young players, very talented, but they're still young. You can see this, we need time, we need to adapt to the new coach, who has just taken office. Although we need time, football waits for no one.

Have you expected unstable results this season?

- We know that the situation will not be as easy as in the previous two years, nor will it be as smooth as before, but we are working hard to regain confidence and regain the smoothness. How to improve

?

- I think we need to be more threatening in possession and improve fluency. It’s important for us to know each other, and we’ve known each other very well over the past two years, and there wasn’t much tactic needed at the time. I think we need to strengthen the connection between players and we are doing that step by step.

vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach, Andrrich was suspended, you were captain

- wearing the captain's armband is always great and special. I'm glad to be here to help the team, especially the younger players.

About new coach Yulmande

- He is very calm and gives us a lot of confidence, which I think is very important to all of us. I think he is the ideal person for us because he will let us players play freely with their intuition. I think this will ultimately benefit everyone and help them improve.

Do you know that you are the best free kick picker in major European leagues this season?

-Yes, I know, because there is a lot of news about this, and I have read some reports. This is something I've been working on for a long time, and I think I'm an expert in this area and I'm working hard to improve every day. Thankfully, I am helping the team.

Which free kick do you like the most?

- That was my first goal in my first year at Leverkusen against Bayern at Allianz Stadium. Playing at Allianz Stadium and scoring an important goal in my unique way – one of my favorite goals, I think.

At that moment, did everyone in the Bundesliga notice you?

—Maybe, because that was just the fourth game of the league. I just arrived in the Bundesliga and it felt a bit like: I'm here, I'm Grimaldo.

Regarding the unbeaten season in the Bundesliga and winning the doubles

- I think a lot of factors have contributed to our incredible year together. We have a very good team, experienced players and talented players, and a very good team of coaches. Of course, we also gained some good luck at critical moments. The team always scored goals at the last moment, keeping us unbeaten, which gave us a lot of confidence. It was an incredible year, we made history, won the championship - and without losing, it was hard to replicate.

You have a tattoo on your chest to commemorate that year?

——I won four trophies in 2024. It was a big year, so I decided to tattoo them all – the 2024 European Cup, the Super Cup, the German Cup and the Bundesliga. That year was so special that I wanted to remember my tattoos, so I decided to do it.