"We must keep our feet on the ground"

INTERVIEW

The sole leadership in the Liga Bwin and the presence in the quarterfinals of the Champions League excite the "benfiquista wave" that grows daily, but  Grimaldo  makes it clear that it is necessary to "keep one's feet on the ground". In an interview available on BPlay, the left-back discusses the collective ambitions and the secrets behind the performances.

Five goals and 11 assists in 43 matches played are the record already registered in 2022/23, in what is Grimaldo's 8th season with an eagle on his chest. The left-back, who has so far played 292 games for Benfica, focuses mainly on the collective goals that the Eagles have until the end of the season, specifically in the Liga Bwin and the Champions League

THE BENFIQUISTA WAVE

"Of course, a wave has now formed. A giant Benfiquista wave. You can see it in the atmosphere. It's as if we went into the match already winning. We know that our goal is the Championship, but we also know that we have a strong team, that the coaching staff and the squad we have this year must be taken advantage of, and we know that in the Champions League we are an opponent that has already reached the quarterfinals. It is a great achievement, because we are among the eight best teams in Europe, but, as I said, we have ambition, we go step by step, but okay, let's leave the subject here and see what will happen." 

AWARE AND AMONG THE EIGHT BEST IN EUROPE

"We must keep our feet on the ground. We know that the teams that have reached this stage are among the best in the world, and it will be complicated, but we are among the top eight in Europe. We are here to fight, and step by step we will try to move on to the next stages."

COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND CONSTANT EVOLUTION

"After all, we have known each other for many years. When we play, we know each other well on the pitch and know the moves each other will make, so that helps. In my style of play, I'm a full-back, I play in a four-man defense, I've worked hard defensively, and I feel very good defensively, but it's clear that my strong point has always been to provide assists and score goals. I worked hard on the final pass, as has been seen in recent years, and one must continue to work and improve, to continue to evolve as a player." 

REMARKABLE GOAL AGAINST MACCABI HAIFA

"It is one of the best [goals]. Scoring that goal on a stage like the Champions League made it possibly one of the best goals of my career. But there are other goals of good memory for me, and I think I would be in contention for the top 3." 

SPECIAL DEDICATION WITH SAVED VIDEOS

"I had known for a few months that I was going to be a father, and it was a goal I wanted to score to dedicate to my daughter. She is three months old now, but it was a goal for her and for my wife. Of course, it's something I will explain to her, I have the photos and videos saved because it was a goal for her. Plus it was on an incredible stage, at home, with 60,000 fans, in the Champions League, being able to dedicate the goal to my daughter... I will always remember it."

ANOTHER TOP GOAL...

"There was a goal I scored against Dinamo Zagreb, in the Europa League, also at Estádio da Luz, very similar to this one, a set piece, but in that case to the far post, which would also be, I believe, in the fight for the top."