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There is a saying that attack wins you games while defense wins you championships. This couldn’t be truer as the teams that have won trophies were built on rigid defenses. Although defending is an art that requires teamwork, individual brilliance at the back is also necessary to ensure that the team has a strong rearguard.While many claim that defending is a dying art and good defenders are a dying breed, there have been exceptions as some defenders have done so well that the claim could be deemed as ridiculous.Here are the 8 best defenders of this season –
#8 Jose Fonte
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He is perhaps the most underrated defender in the world. Jose Fonte has been stellar for Southampton for quite some time now and a look at Southampton’s statistics tells you why.
Even if their position in the table was 7th, their defensive record was the best in the league after Chelsea. Allowing only 33 goals in the League, the Saints have shown that they are a tough team to beat and Jose Fonte is the main reason for that.
The Portuguese is an excellent tackler – a stat of 2.1 tackles-per-game proves that – and has even better intelligence on the pitch, with 3.2 interceptions-per-game bearing testament to that fact.
Their stingy defence is what allowed Southampton to be in contention for Champions League qualification for most of the season. If it weren’t for them going through a couple of barren patches in front of goal, Southampton would have been much closer to a Champions League spot.
#7 Diego Godin
Atletico Madrid, to the surprise of many, won the Liga title in 2013-14. Diego Simeone built his team in a very brutal, physical way as their tough approach towards the game is what makes it so hard for teams to beat them.
And Diego Godin epitomizes that approach. The Uruguayan has been in top-notch form since Diego Simeone has taken over the reins at Atleti. His constant improvement and progress under the Argentine has seen him place his name among the best defenders in the world.
With 2.5 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game, it is little wonder as to why he is one of the most feared defenders in the world of football. This season wasn’t any different as Atletico had the second best defensive record in the league and Godin – like last season – was a rock at the back.
#6 Jerome Boateng
Yes, he was destroyed by Lionel Messi for that goal during the Champions League semi-finals, but he is still an obvious candidate. Bayern Munich conceded a miserly 18 goals in the Bundesliga and he was the mainstay in that defense. Some sections of fans thought that his place was under threat with the addition of Mehdi Benatia. He, however, proved them all wrong with his stellar performances against teams in the league.
Bayern Munich are basically the only team that compete for the Bundesliga title as the rest of the teams don’t really put up much of a fight against them. That allows the Bavarians to play an ultra attacking brand of football which leaves gaping spaces in their defense.
However, Boateng’s composed positioning and good turn of pace makes sure that he covers the threat of counter attacks from opposition attacks – which allows Bayern midfielders to be more expressive than usual.
With an average of 1.9 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game, Bayern attackers can attack with complete peace of mind that their defence will be able to handle whatever is thrown at them with Boateng leading the line.
#5 Leonardo Bonucci
Juventus have been the most dominant force in the Serie A for a long time and they don’t look like they will lose grip on it anytime soon. While Chiellini is their warrior at the back, it is Leonardo Bonucci who leads the defense and also pulls the strings going forward from there.
It’s not only his defending that adds so much value to the club, but it is his ability to pass the ball over long distances and create plays for the Old Lady that is his X-factor. Playing at the heart of a 3-man defence requires a defender strong in the tackle, smart in his positioning and one with a calm exterior – and Bonucci is all that and more. The fact that he is able to play both in a traditional 4-man backline and a 3-man defence makes him even better.
Chiellini might be the more rugged defender, but defending isn’t always about strength, it sometimes is also about smarts, and this man has it all. Juve have dominated Serie A for almost half a decade now with Bonucci leading from the center of defence. He also has great skill on the ball, typified by his 4 goals, none more important than the winner against AS Roma.
Be it under Antonio Conte or Allegri, he has been rock solid as part of a defence that conceded just 34 times in the league this season. His stats of 1.1 and 1.9 successful tackles and interceptions, respectively, display the aforementioned covering quality needed from the center of defense.
#4 Branislav Ivanovic
Quite simply put, he was the best full-back of last season. This title was almost always exclusive to Philipp Lahm, but the Serbian now holds firm in this position.
Great at going forward and even better holding his ground in defence, playing Ivanovic on the right is like playing two players simultaneously. His clever positioning and excellent tackling skills make sure that Terry and Cahill are never stranded in defence while his forward surges stretch the opposition wings – opening up spaces for the attackers to exploit.
His tackling rate of 2.3 per game shows that he is really good at getting back, timing his tackle to perfection and winning the ball. His forward forays created a lot of chances for the Londoners, and he scored 6 goals in the process.
It is no wonder, then, that Chelsea only conceded 32 goals – 8 of which came in 2 games – in the Premier League this season. With Terry and Ivanovic in the same side, the statistic is hardly unbelievable.
#3 John Terry
Chelsea won the Premier League this season and their defense was their strongest point. Jose Mourinho is known to build his teams from the back and what better team to do so than his beloved Chelsea.
John Terry has been the most consistent performer for the Blues since he came through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. He has been an almost perfect player for them and it’s his brilliant covering role that helps Jose Mourinho’s team to use the offside trap so very well.
His exceptional positioning means that he doesn’t have to make many tackles or interceptions. A meagre figure of 1.1 and 0.9 tackles and interceptions respectively per game is a testament to that. He is also a great attacking threat and scored 8 goals last season.
Chelsea conceded the least number of goals in the Premiership – 32, to be precise – and John Terry is the biggest reason for that. The most delighted with his renaissance will be manager Jose Mourinho, under whose second tenure Terry has been simply stupendous, defying his age, as he has shown that he is the best defender in the Premier League.
#2 Nicolas Otamendi
Valencia ended up finishing 4th in La Liga with the third best defensive record in the League – even better than Real Madrid. The man who was the crux of that defense was none other than Nicolas Otamendi.
The team from the Mestalla gave Atletico a run for their money for the 3rd spot and were the team that stopped the onslaught of Real Madrid by breaking their 22-game winning run – and Otamendi was the one who scored the winner in that game.
Signed by Valencia for a mere €12 million, he has shown what he is capable of in only his first season at the Spanish club. He’s done so well that he’s been linked with a host of giant clubs, like Manchester United, but it is unlikely that they would let go of the man who could be the core of Peter Lim’s dream of a dominant Valencia.
His physicality and ability to score from set-pieces saw him score 6 goals last season. With a successful tackle and interception rate of 2.9 and 3.1 per game respectively, it is no surprise as to why he is so coveted.
#1 Gerard Pique
There was once a time, not so long ago when Gerard Pique was the subject of the internet’s mockery. Doing a Pique was the equivalent of making a mess of a simple situation. However, all that changed under the guidance of Luis Enrique, and he is back to his best.
When Barcelona won the treble under Pep Guardiola, Pique was one of the stars of the team. His performances that season earned him a place in the Spanish National team and he hasn’t looked back ever since – even though his performances waned a lot at times.
And now, Barcelona have won the treble again. While the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have taken the majority of the plaudits, it was the Spanish international’s assured performances and consistency in form that played a huge role in bringing the glories back to Camp Nou.
He put in 2.1 successful tackles-per-game and made 2 interceptions while at it – displaying assurity whenever it was needed. His presence in the Catalan team’s defence was integral to them having the most stingy backline in La Liga, as they conceded only 21 goals in 38 matches. His aerial presence also came in very handy, as he scored 7 goals during the course of the season.
