There is no truer anecdote in the game of football than Sir Alex Ferguson's "attack wins you games, defence wins you titles." It is simple fact that the fewer goals you concede, the fewer you have to score to win a game.
This strategy led the likes of Chelsea and Juventus to win their respective leagues whereas the struggle to find the right balance in defence led the likes of Manchester City and FC Barcelona to falter.
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Also read: EPL 2016/17: Top 10 players of the season - Sportskeeda.com
The job of a defender is thankless but gigantic nevertheless. He won't grab the headlines like a Messi or a Ronaldo but he is the one who drags the team out of danger repeatedly.
The recently concluded 2016/17 season saw many teams employing new strategies while defending, and subsequently, new robust defenders coming to the fore. On that note, let us take a look at the top 10 defenders in Europe for the 2016/17 season:
#10 David Alaba - FC Bayern Munich
There aren't many fullbacks in the world who are as fluent on the ball as David Alaba. If not for Marcelo, Alaba would have inarguably been considered the best left back in the world. Bayern Munich have been the perfect club for him and have even tried using the Austrian as the left-sided centre-back or even as a number 10 under Pep Guardiola.
But under Ancelotti, he returned to his favourite position and showed just why he is so highly regarded by pundits and players alike. He improved his ability in one on one situations this season and as usual, was composed in front of goal.
Alaba scored five goals and produced six assists for Munich and was also included in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. The Austrian had a pass success rate of 88% – a brilliant return from an attacking fullback.
#9 Niklas Sule - TSG Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim had a dream run in the Bundesliga last season and one of the pillars of their success was 21-year-old, 6'5" Niklas Sule. He was a beast at the back for Hoffenheim, who bulldozed their way into the Champions League qualifying spots.
He has amassed over 100 caps in the Bundesliga at such a young age and his fine performances for Hoffenheim made him sign a long term deal with Bayern Munich back in January. Sule is brilliant in the air and won the most number of aerial duels (1.9 per 90 minutes) in Germany last season. He is also brilliant with the ball and had a higher pass completed percentage (89.6) than the likes of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng.
#8 Gary Cahill - Chelsea
It was a season of reckoning for the 31-year-old at Stamford Bridge. Cahill had often been criticised for his positioning sense in the past but he dismissed those claims this season as he played with purpose and captained his side to the league crown.
Cahill was a leader for Chelsea on the pitch with his old school defending often coming to the team's rescue. He struggled with the ball at his feet but made up with timely tackles and his ability to throw his body on the line for a block. The 31-year-old averaged 4.8 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per game in the Premier League.
He does not possess the same skill set as John Terry but Chelsea have surely found their next captain in Gary Cahill.
#7 Federico Fazio - AS Roma
Overlooked at Tottenham Hotspur, Fazio made such an impact with the Italian giants Roma that many even called him the best defender in Italy last season. Fazio had below par seasons with Spurs and Sevilla but made amends with sensational performances for Roma.
Brought in as a backup defender by Luciano Spalleti, Fazio slowly impressed in the early games and made himself a regular starter for the club. Playing in a back three, Fazio was aggressive from the word go and made the highest number of successful tackles in the Serie A.
One of the top-ranked defenders according to both Whoscored and Squawka, Fazio made a staggering 2.4 interceptions every 90 minutes along with winning 3.5 aerial duels per game.
#6 Filipe Luis - Atletico Madrid
In what was a difficult season for Atletico Madrid, Filipe Luis often led the way with his never-say-die attitude. He was brilliant going forward as evidenced by his tally of 3 goals and 7 assists for the Colchoneros in the past season.
Luis completed 74 dribbles, more than any other Atletico player and often saved his best for the big games. The Brazilian was Atletico's best defender this past season and his most important period came at the beginning of the season when he had to sort out his back line and lead the side in Diego Godin's absence.
#5 Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid
Has there been a more influential defender in the 21st century than Sergio "stoppage time" Ramos? The Spaniard has been a rock for Real Madrid at the back but his influence has increased manifolds since the side managed to win the La Decima. Since then, Real Madrid have won two more Champions League titles and also the league title for the first time in six years.
The majority of Ramos' goals this season (10 in total) came when Real were not in a winning position. He was their saviour and the catalyst for a historic double. Although his defensive side of the game is often criticised for not being as good as his work on the other side of the field, Ramos looked like he had worked hard on curbing his rash streak. In the recently concluded season, Ramos made 1.6 tackles and 3.7 clearances per game for the European champions.
The Spaniard has been under scrutiny ever since his move to the Bernabeu but it seems that he has taken it in his stride to score goal after goal and win matches for his side.
#4 Leonardo Bonucci - Juventus
Italy has a tradition of producing high-quality defenders and Bonucci is certainly one of the best. The former Bari defender has been a mainstay at the back for the Bianconeri ever since his arrival.
His positioning sense and intercepting abilities are inarguably the best in the business and when you add his sensational passing range to his artillery, you have the perfect recipe for a world-beater. Bonucci was disciplined for his side last season as he made just 0.8 fouls per game, whilst being dribbled past on just 0.7 occasions.
Also read: 10 best midfielders in Europe this season (2016/17)
Juventus retained the Scudetto last season and Bonucci again was at the forefront. The Italian had to play the role of a deep lying playmaker as well since Juventus no longer had the services of Andrea Pirlo and as seen by his position on this list, he passed that test with flying colours.
#3 Cesar Azpilicueta - Chelsea
If David Luiz was the legs and Gary Cahill was the heart of Chelsea's back three, Cesar Azpilicueta was the brains of the title winning side. The Spaniard has been a utility player all his career and gave a fantastic account of himself in Chelsea's run to the Premier League title. With 2.2 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game for the Blues, Azpilicueta displayed his authority in an alien position for him.
It is safe to say that Antonio Conte's three at the back system became a roaring success because he had a player like Azpilicueta at his disposal. He did his reputation of being the best one v one defender no harm whatsoever. The Spanish defender tackled well and also chipped in with a few goals and assists. All in all, Azpilicueta was the Premier League's best defender of the 2016/17 season.
#2 Marcelo - Real Madrid
'A fullback rampaging on the wings'. This phrase must have been coined when its creator saw Real Madrid's Marcelo live in action. The once error-prone defender has improved with each passing year and in the last season, finally found the right balance between attack and defence. Great players adjust their games according to the situation and Marcelo did that to perfection in Madrid's double-winning season.
His defensive contributions against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid were brilliant as he kept the likes of Arjen Robben and Koke silent. The Brazilian was at his best in the final third as well as evidenced by his tally of 3 goals and 12 assists. He attempted 1.8 dribbles every 90 minutes and was dispossessed only 0.8 times per game.
#1 Dani Alves - Juventus
When at the age of 34, Philipp Lahm was announcing his retirement, another right back of the same age was destroying defences with blistering runs in the Champions League. Dani Alves has often been considered one of the most decorated players of all time and his one-year stint in Italy added many more records to his legacy. His performances in both the legs against AS Monaco were arguably the best by a defender in the last decade or so.
Allegri also made Alves play further up field at right wing at times in the last season to make complete use of his attacking prowess. But his best displays came in a right wing-back position as he linked well with the likes of Juan Cuadrado and Paulo Dybala and helped set up many goals. With 2.6 tackles and 2.1 key passes in every game, Alves showed just why he is so highly rated.
Although he came up short against Real Madrid in the Champions League final, this was one of the best seasons for the Brazilian from a personal point of view – a season which sure made Barcelona regret their decision to sell him.
