2019-20 La Liga: 5 best Centre-backs

#3: Gerard Pique

Gerard Pique was one of the few bright spots from Barcelona's disappointing La Liga campaign

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.

#2: Raphael Varane

Raphael Varane has formed a dominant central defensive partnership at Real Madrid with Sergio Ramos.

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

Skipper Sergio Ramos was one of the driving forces of Real Madrid's La Liga-winning campaign.

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.