Grimaldo, Patience, and Magic: How Bayer 04 Kicked Off the Year in Style at the BayArena

Sometimes you wonder whether Alejandro Grimaldo trains his free kicks, or if the ball simply obeys out of sheer respect for his foot. What the Spaniard pulled off in the 1-0 win against Mainz 05 from 18 meters out on the right was nothing short of a masterpiece. A perfectly struck ball, curled into the top corner, straight into our fan hearts. With that, Bayer 04 Leverkusen closed out the first half of the season in style, continuing their incredible run of form. Ten competitive wins in a row. Ten! It might be time to ask Xabi Alonso how he manages to blend patience, tactics, and wizardry so seamlessly.

But let’s break it down: the match itself wasn’t a spectacle, at least not on paper. Mainz came out boldly, but ultimately, they were suffocated by Bayer’s overwhelming dominance. Without Jonathan Tah (out sick) and with Granit Xhaka wearing the captain’s armband for the first time, Leverkusen set the tone from the start. Still, it felt like a chess match, where Mainz tried to delay Bayer’s moves but always remained one step behind. If goals were chess moves, Bayer should’ve had checkmate by halftime. Instead, they needed one moment of brilliance—and that moment was Grimaldo’s free kick.

Mainz’s game plan was clear: disrupt Bayer’s rhythm with constant fouls. It worked, to an extent. Stefan Bell managed a shot, and goalkeeper Robin Zentner had more to do than he probably anticipated. But let’s be honest: it was only a matter of time before Leverkusen rewarded themselves for their dominance. Then came the 48th minute. A moment that left the packed BayArena collectively holding its breath. Grimaldo, this artist in the black and red shirt, showed us all how to take a free kick—not just shoot it, but craft it, stage it, make it unforgettable. A dream goal worth more than three points—it was a statement.

Of course, it would have been typical Bayer to double or triple the lead to put the game to bed. They had the chances: Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong both gave us glimpses of what could have been. But this time, the Werkself chose the pragmatic route: solid at the back, minimalist up front. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with a clean, professional 1-0 win, as long as the three points are in the bag. Special mention goes to Matej Kovar, the man in goal, who made his case for a starting spot with a series of impressive saves. A quiet but confident debut.

It wasn’t just Grimaldo who had reason to celebrate. Granit Xhaka, in his 50th Bundesliga appearance for Bayer, led the team to victory as captain. And Piero Hincapie, not to be outdone, reached 100 appearances for the Werkself—a milestone that speaks volumes at his age. These milestones, along with the win, perfectly capture the current mood around the club: buoyant and confident.

With this victory, Bayer keeps chasing Bayern at the top of the table. And with the next home match against Borussia Mönchengladbach looming, the excitement keeps building. The season is heating up, the fans are dreaming, and as the ball keeps rolling, one mantra seems to define this team: patience pays off. Grimaldo proved that in stunning fashion.

The title race? Let’s talk about that later. But one thing is clear: this Werkself isn’t just talented—they’re determined to push their limits. If they keep this up, we’ll have plenty more magical moments like Grimaldo’s to savor as the season unfolds.