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The midfield serves as the link between the defense and the attack, playing an influential role in making both departments tick. With top-class options in the center of the pitch, it becomes easier for the team to function properly. It also helps a team exert dominance on opposition sides.
It goes without saying that most of the strongest teams of the last decade built their strength in the center of the pitch. Pep Guardiola's Barcelona golden team - which conquered European football is a great example. It had a trio of Xavi Hernandez, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta running the midfield.
Several clubs are following the same path in the football world right now, adding world-class midfielders to their ranks and increasing their depth in the center. That has inspired us to compile a list of the five best teams in the sport at the moment, based on their depth in midfield. They are as follows:
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#5 Barcelona
The departure of Lionel Messi to PSG and Ronald Koeman's struggles have resulted in a difficult start to the season for Barcelona. But that takes nothing away from the fact that the Blaugrana have remarkable depth in midfield.
Sergio Busquets remains a huge force to be reckoned with, just as we witnessed at the Euros and the UEFA Nations League this summer. Pedri and Gavi have dominated the headlines in recent weeks with their spectacular performances for club and country.
Frenkie de Jong continues to be a shining light in the center, while Philippe Coutinho's role as a goal-scoring midfielder is also essential. Outside of these names, Barcelona also have the likes of Riqui Puig, Nico Gonzalez and Sergi Roberto to call upon.
#4 Bayern Munich
Apart from being a pro-aggressive attacking team, Bayern Munich also have a huge arsenal in the center of the pitch. The Bavarians have partnered Joshua Kimmich with Marcel Sabitzer or Leon Goretzka at center in each of their last six games across all competitions.
Jamal Musiala, Corentin Tolisso and Malik Tillman have all impressed with their performances this season, giving manager Julian Nagelsmann plenty of options. Apart from the aforementioned players, Bayern Munich also have Michael Cuisance and Marc Roca to call upon whenever there's the need to.
The Bavarians are firing on all cylinders this season. They currently sit atop the Bundesliga table with 22 points in nine games and also rank first in their Champions League group in Group E.
#3 Chelsea
The Blues currently lead the Premier League table with 22 points in nine games. They have earned a promising start to their Champions League campaign as well, bagging two victories from three games so far.
With Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner slowing down in recent weeks, Chelsea have relied on their strength in midfield to outclass opposition teams. The Londoners earned a massive 7-0 victory against Norwich City in the Premier League at the weekend, with Mason Mount scoring a hat-trick.
It was another day in office for the likes of Jorginho and Matteo Kovacic, who also ran riot in the center. Ruben Loftus Cheek, Ngolo Kante and Kai Harvertz continue with their decent displays. Meanwhile, players like Ross Barkley and Saul Niguez have also impressed.
#2 Liverpool
Liverpool are arguably the most in-form team in Europe this season. The Reds dominated newspaper headlines after humiliating Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford last weekend. While the attack often enjoys plaudits, there's no denying the midfield has also been incredible.
The trio of Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and James Milner ran riot in the center at the weekend. But the likes of Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones have been equally impressive since the start of the season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool also have Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliot as options to deploy in midfield, who are currently out with injuries. The Reds are firing on all cylinders at the moment, winning their last three games in all competitions and bagging a whopping 13 goals in them.
#1 Manchester City
When it comes to assembling world-class midfielders, no manager does it better than Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard's obsession to dominate possession and control proceedings from the center has led him into building an incredible midfield at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City's midfield breathes nothing but pure class. Their two defensive midfielder options, Rodri and Fernadinho, will break into almost any team in Europe right now. They are led by the ever-consistent Kevin de Bruyne and complimented by the highly versatile Phil Foden. They also have Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva as two top quality midfield players.
The Cityzens have started the season on the front foot. They currently rank third in the Premier League table with 20 points from nine games, just two points behind first-placed Chelsea. Their Champions League campaign is also off to a promising start, with Pep Guardiola's men winning two of their three games so far.
