Leandro Grimi
Encyclopedia
Leandro Damián Marcelo Grimi (born 9 February 1985 in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe
) is an Argentine
footballer who plays for K.R.C. Genk
in Belgium
on loan from Sporting Clube de Portugal, as a left defender. He also holds and Italian
passport.
and Racing Club de Avellaneda
in his homeland, appearing in 11 top division games with the latter. In January 2007, the 22-year old was by Italian
club A.C. Milan
, for €
2 million.
After appearing in a friendly
with Birkirkara FC
, in the team's training camp in Malta
, Grimi made his official debut for the Rossoneri against A.C. Arezzo
, a 2–0 win in the season's Italian Cup
. On 18 April 2007, he made his first appearance in the Serie A
, playing the last 11 minutes of a 5–2 win at Ascoli Calcio 1898
.
. In January 2008, in the same predicament, he signed for Sporting Clube de Portugal, appearing in 20 official games in his first season - nine in the league - as the Lions finished in second position, also winning the domestic cup
, with the player playing the full 120 minutes in a 2–0 extra time
win against F.C. Porto.
On 15 July 2008, Milan announced Sporting had acquired Grimi on a permanent basis. He signed a five-year contract, with the Lisbon
club paying the Italians €2.5 million plus 35% of a future transfer fee (Sporting was also able to acquire 5% of the player's rights for €200,000 everytime it qualified for the UEFA Champions League
). His minimum-fee release clause amounted to €25m.
After the arrival of Evaldo Fabiano in the 2010 off-season, from S.C. Braga, Grimi became a fringe player for Sporting, appearing in only four official matches during 2010–11 (two in the league, for a total of 253 minutes), and being loaned in the very last day of the 2011 summer transfer window
to K.R.C. Genk
in the Belgian Pro League.
San Lorenzo, Santa Fe
San Lorenzo is a city in the south of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, located 23 km north of Rosario, on the western shore of the Paraná River, and forming one end of the Greater Rosario metropolitan area...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
footballer who plays for K.R.C. Genk
K.R.C. Genk
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk , usually referred to as Racing Genk or simply Genk, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg. Racing Genk plays in the Belgian Pro League and they have won 3 Belgian champion titles in 1998–99, in 2001–02 and in 2010–11 as...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
on loan from Sporting Clube de Portugal, as a left defender. He also holds and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
passport.
Early years / Milan
Grimi played for Club Atlético HuracánClub Atlético Huracán
Club Atlético Huracán is a sports club from the Parque Patricios neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The football team currently plays in the Primera B Nacional, the second level of the Argentine football league system. Huracán home stadium is the Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó.Huracán was...
and Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club is an Argentine professional football club from Avellaneda, a suburb of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1903, Racing has been historically considered one of the "big five" clubs of Argentine football...
in his homeland, appearing in 11 top division games with the latter. In January 2007, the 22-year old was by Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
, for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
2 million.
After appearing in a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
with Birkirkara FC
Birkirkara F.C.
Birkirkara Football Club is a Maltese football club from the town of Birkirkara, the largest town on the island of Malta. In the 2009–2010 season, they were the Maltese champions. The club currently plays in the Maltese Premier League and have been league winners on three occasions...
, in the team's training camp in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Grimi made his official debut for the Rossoneri against A.C. Arezzo
A.C. Arezzo
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Atletico Arezzo is an Italian association football club based in Arezzo, Tuscany...
, a 2–0 win in the season's Italian Cup
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
. On 18 April 2007, he made his first appearance in the Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
, playing the last 11 minutes of a 5–2 win at Ascoli Calcio 1898
Ascoli Calcio 1898
Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
.
Sporting
Grimi spent the first half of 2007–08 on loan to fellow top divisioner A.C. SienaA.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
. In January 2008, in the same predicament, he signed for Sporting Clube de Portugal, appearing in 20 official games in his first season - nine in the league - as the Lions finished in second position, also winning the domestic cup
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
, with the player playing the full 120 minutes in a 2–0 extra time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
win against F.C. Porto.
On 15 July 2008, Milan announced Sporting had acquired Grimi on a permanent basis. He signed a five-year contract, with the Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
club paying the Italians €2.5 million plus 35% of a future transfer fee (Sporting was also able to acquire 5% of the player's rights for €200,000 everytime it qualified for the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
). His minimum-fee release clause amounted to €25m.
After the arrival of Evaldo Fabiano in the 2010 off-season, from S.C. Braga, Grimi became a fringe player for Sporting, appearing in only four official matches during 2010–11 (two in the league, for a total of 253 minutes), and being loaned in the very last day of the 2011 summer transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
to K.R.C. Genk
K.R.C. Genk
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk , usually referred to as Racing Genk or simply Genk, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg. Racing Genk plays in the Belgian Pro League and they have won 3 Belgian champion titles in 1998–99, in 2001–02 and in 2010–11 as...
in the Belgian Pro League.