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Although the most talked-about headlines from the 2019-20 La Liga season came from events off the field, there was plenty to discuss on the field in the Spanish top flight as well.
Real Madrid’s 34th La Liga title, Leganes’ relegation heartbreak, Lionel Messi's individual accolades, Granada securing European football for the first time in the club’s history, and many more riveting stories ensured that the 2019-20 La Liga season did not lack excitement or intrigue.
One of the main talking points of the La Liga season was the performance of some of the top central defenders. Real Madrid’s impressive La Liga triumph was based on their rock-solid defence, one that saw the Merengues keep the most clean sheets and concede the fewest goals of any La Liga outfit during the season.
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Similar stars emerged from other La Liga teams as well; some of them were new arrivals in the Spanish top flight while others were experienced customers. On that note, let’s take a look at the five best centre-backs in La Liga this season.
Also Read: 2019-20 Premier League: 5 best centre-backs.
Five best centre-backs in the 2019-20 La Liga:
#5: Felipe
The departure of Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez last summer offered Diego Simeone the opportunity to alter his side’s style of play ahead of the 2019-20 La Liga campaign.
In came Mario Hermoso and Felipe, two centre-backs that not only fit Simeone’s defensive high-intensity game plan, but also brought their excellent passing ability to the table.
The big-money signing of Joao Felix might also have prompted Atletico to spring for central defenders who were comfortable on the ball. It was an attempt from the Rojiblancos to evolve their usual counter-attacking game to a more possession-based style to better accommodate their Portuguese playmaker.
As such, the experienced Felipe fitted right into Simeone’s well-drilled defensive unit in his debut La Liga campaign, helping Atletico Madrid retain their Champions League spot with a creditable third-place finish.
The Brazilian’s physicality, aerial ability and passing range made him a success in Spain; his excellent positioning sense also came in handy during the centre-back's forays upfield.
In all, the 31-year-old made 25 La Liga appearances, playing a part in nine clean sheets and chipping in with a goal too.
#4: Diego Carlos
Signed from Nantes in Ligue 1 last season, Diego Carlos has proven himself to be one of the signings of the season in La Liga, featuring in all but three of fourth-placed Sevilla’s matches.
The Brazilian is adept at using his pace and strength, which allow him to defend the spaces behind him just as well as he defends situations inside his box. He relies on his excellent intuition to get into great positions in order to snuff out attacks, but can rely on his pace to recover from any positional mistakes.
Besides pace and power, which are two key attributes for a modern-day centre-back, Carlos also has the know-how to keep the game simple.
Calm and composed on the ball, he rarely tries anything expansive, preferring instead to control and pass in order to keep the ball moving. All things considered. It’s not surprising to see that Europe’s elite are already keeping tabs on Diego Carlos after his maiden La Liga season.
If he maximises his talents and further improves on his attributes, Carlos would not be out of place in some of the world’s best defences.
#3: Gerard Pique
Although there were rumours that Barcelona had already started to plan for life after Gerard Pique, the Spaniard showcased just how important he was to the Blaugrana with his excellent showing this season.
Although the la Liga giants were not at their best during the season as their title defence crumbled after the lockdown, Pique was one of the few positives Barcelona could take from a disappointing campaign.
Given how much Barcelona like to dominate possession, the fact that Pique had more successful passes (2681) than any other La Liga defender makes him the ideal centre-back for the Blaugrana.
It was not just in possession that Pique showed his worth; he was immense in defence too, ranking second for aerials duels won (129), second for headed clearances (90) and fourth for possession won (220).
The veteran defender shone brightest when his side dominated possession, which they have done season after season in recent times. However, Barcelona’s ageing roster has allowed other La Liga teams to see more of the ball of late.
The lack of speed and physicality made Barcelona's defence more vulnerable, which has been one of the reasons for their recent downturn in form.
Also Read: 5 replacements for Gerard Pique at Barcelona.
#2: Raphael Varane
It’s no coincidence that Raphael Varane is a World Cup winner, 4-time Champions League winner, 3-time La Liga winner and winner of several other domestic and international titles at the age of 27. In fact, all signs point to his trophy count to increase significantly by the time he hangs up his boots.
Paired up in the centre of Real Madrid’s defence alongside the more aggressive Sergio Ramos, Varane complements his Spanish counterpart perfectly. While Ramos is the more forward-thinking of the duo, Varane’s impressive pace and exceptional reading of the game ensures that he is almost always in the right position at just the right time.
This is backed up by the fact that the Frenchman received only two bookings in his 32 La Liga appearances during the season as he helped Real Madrid keep a clean sheet in 16 of these games, while also bagging two goals and an assist in the process.
#1: Sergio Ramos
Phrases such as ‘captain’s performance’ and ‘leading by example’ have been used liberally to describe Sergio Ramos' play in the 2019-20 La Liga season.
Ramos was authoritative and commanding in his displays as a centre-back for Real Madrid this season. He is one of the most dominant defenders in Spain, forming a formidable central defensive partnership alongside Raphael Varane at the heart of the Madrid defence.
However, Ramos’ most notable contribution to Real Madrid’s successful La Liga season came at the other end of the pitch, where he astonishingly scored 11 goals en route to leading his side to their 34th La Liga title. It is the highest goal-tally for a defender in a single La Liga season in the 21st century, a phenomenal achievement made even more impressive by the fact that Ramos is now 34.
Ramos has also well and truly taken over the mantle of leader from Cristiano Ronaldo since the latter's move to Juventus; he has even assumed the responsibility of penalty-taker and scored from all six of his spot-kicks this season.
