Clément Grenier says he can’t wait to face Real Madrid ahead of our hosting of the league champions this Sunday.
The midfielder is no stranger to Los Blancos having faced them twice before in his career, although he will be coming up against a familiar face in Karim Benzema.
“Karim is four years older than me and I used to see him at the training ground when I was at Lyon,” said Grenier. “We played together for a short period of time when I signed as a professional at Lyon before he went to Real Madrid. He has always been a very complete striker capable of scoring, capable of playing for the team, capable of putting himself at the service of the team by shooting a little more.
“He has that first touch that I love that is focused on directing play, whether it's in the direction of the goal or directing play in general. I loved playing with him in the French national team and even thought it was not enough, I was lucky enough to be able to play with him in the same team. It is a real pleasure to watch him play.
“He is always in the right areas of influence, he knows how to get out of the box, he knows when to get down and help the team play. It is a wonder to play with a striker like that. I always say it, what he achieved in Lyon when he was so young, but especially what he is doing at Real Madrid with all the pressure on his shoulders, honestly, you take your hat off to him. Not everyone does that and it reflects exactly the talent, hard work and sacrifice he has shown throughout his career."
Having scored the goal which ensured our survival in LaLiga last season, our midfielder is looking to build on a moment that will stay with him for the rest of his life.
“The goal against Osasuna was an important moment for the club and for me too. I think for both sides, either for the club or for me, in the end we were very happy because we stayed up. It was an important goal and it is part of a very good memory from my career. We can continue playing in LaLiga and the team work that was done before was very good too. That was it: we were rewarded for all that, although it was obviously very difficult, but this goal is part of a very important objective and it will remain in my memory.
“I feel very good. Indeed, it is different from last season, when I arrived lacking a bit of rhythm and games. It was difficult for me to get into the team immediately. We were lucky enough to stay up on the last game against Osasuna. I also had the chance to extend my contract here so I was very happy.
“It is true that it was positive for me, I was able to string together friendly matches in pre-season and I also continued that by playing LaLiga matches at the beginning of the season, then a little less. That is it though, rhythm is the key. The rhythm is coming back and I feel better and better. I need to put together a run of matches, I need rhythm. I also need to understand exactly what the coach is asking of me and I think I understand that better and better. My Spanish is a little better than when I arrived, it is getting better and better for me.”
While Grenier is keen to kick on and make more memories in red and black, he has not forgotten the impact Javier Aguirre has had on him.
“It is true that thanks to him I am still here in Mallorca. We were able to do a good job last season. Although I was not at my best level, I always wanted to give more than I had. I did not play much and I did not have the opportunity to start a game but I gave everything and in the end he and I were rewarded in the last game against Osasuna.
“After that I immediately felt a mutual trust to work with one another and once again thanks to him I am here. He is a very experienced coach. I have known quite a few coaches who were more or less experienced, more or less young and it is always rewarding to have someone by your side who has known different countries, who has known different competitions and who knows LaLiga very well and knows what we have to do. We have to listen to him in order to stay up.
“There are good people in this dressing room. We all work together and that is the result. I like working and being in a dressing room like this because I have always said that football is above all a team sport, although it is becoming more and more individualistic through statistics, through the press, through the people who surround each player.
“For me this is still a collective sport and, especially in Mallorca, especially at a club like this. Maybe at Real Madrid, FC Barcelona or PSG they have people who can make the difference. Here we need to be together to be able to perform well.”
