5 Champions League contenders and their centre-backs issues

Traditionally, centre-backs have been some of the most important players in title-winning teams. The solidity, resolute defending and leadership (as well as occasional goalscoring) they offer have played central roles in teams that have won Ole-Big Ears (as the UCL trophy is called).

Sergio Ramos was front and centre in Real Madrid’s three-peat (2016-2018), Virgil van Dijk was key to Liverpool’s title triumph in June. The list of centre-backs who have been very important in a UCL-winning team is long and very illustrious: Alessandro Nesta, Matthias Sammer, John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, Carles Puyol, Jerome Boateng and so on.

A lot of the big sides who are favoured to win the UCL title next season have certain issues as regards their central defences. Some have lost stalwarts due to resignation while others have had players move on to other clubs.

A few of these have already addressed these issues; Eder Militao to Real Madrid, Mats Hummels to Borussia Dortmund the outstanding ones.

Due to these and other reasons, some of the potential winners for the title will need to recruit for the central defensive areas. Here is a look at 5 of such clubs:

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#5 Chelsea

Luiz would be important for Chelsea next season

It is still unclear if the Blues will be allowed to sign players in this transfer window given their provisional ban. However, they are appealing the ban but may not be able to get it lifted in time to do any business.

If it is lifted in time, the club is looking at a significant need for improvement in the central areas. David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill occupied the two centre-back positions under Maurizio Sarri last season.

However, much has changed. Sarri has left to join Juventus, Cahill has been let go and Christensen is angling for a move after getting little play time last season. At the moment, there is no manager (Frank Lampard is thought to be the favourite).

If the ban is upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the central defence for the team next season will probably look like this; Luiz, Rudiger, Christensen (if he stays) and Kurt Zouma. This is not a defence that will trouble the elite of Europe though.

If allowed to sign someone, the Blues may look once again at Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly to act as the spring board for a renewed side (much like van Dijk did for Liverpool) or someone like Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah.

#4 FC Barcelona

De Ligt is Barca's main centre-back target

After the horror show of the last two seasons in the UCL, there is a clear need for the Catalan giants to make certain tactical and if possible, personnel changes.

The collapses in Rome and Liverpool following commanding first-leg leads has led to suggestions of a mentality issue amongst the team’s backline.

Gerard Pique as the veteran/leader of the backline has had his fierce share of the criticism. His partners: Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet have also not covered themselves in glory.

The UCL has become something of a Holy Grail for Barca especially when viewed against the backdrop of Real Madrid’s three-peat achievements. Therefore, getting someone in to help in the centre of defensive seems to be a high priority for the manager, Ernesto Valverde.

The pursuit of Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt has dragged more than expected with the club looking likely to miss out on the talented youngster. If this happens, the club may decide to go with what it already has; Pique, Lenglet, Umtiti and young Frenchman Jean-Clair Todibo (injury-prone Thomas Vermaelen has nothing to add).

#3 Juventus

Juventus needs to add more quality to complement Chiellini and co. next season

The Bianconeri need a regeneration at the backline and the club’s hierarchy knows this. Too often in the UCL, the team has been ripped apart by faster, quicker-thinking opponents (Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Barcelona in the recent past).

The trio of captain Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli may have been imperious in Serie A but in the UCL, they have been caught flat-footed when it matters most. Mehdi Benatia has since moved on while Daniele Rugani has not been given enough time/space to show what he can do.

Barzagli has after a distinguished career, retired while the favoured pair of Chiellini/Bonucci is getting even older and slower as the time goes on. With Rugani showing little of his earlier promise, there is an urgent need to get in a quality player into the central position.

Enter de Ligt (once again). The young Dutchman is the beautiful bride for a lot of big sides across the continent given his age, quality, price (compared to someone like Martin Skriniar or Koulibaly).

Alongside PSG, the Italians have emerged as a leading contender for his signature. With Sarri already said to be in love with the idea, getting this deal done could be the key to breaking Juve’s UCL hoodoo.

#2 Bayern Munich

Boateng looks to be on his way out of Bayern Munich

It was a strange sort of season last time around for the Bavarians. Too many of its senior German players were affected by the disaster that was Die Mannschaft's 2018 World Cup campaign.

This was especially true for the centre-backs; Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng. Stalwarts for club and country since 2014, both players seemingly declined at the same time; a mess for both teams. This led to one or the other being dropped for Niklas Süle.

All of a sudden, one of the world’s best centre-back pairings became a parody and the butt of jokes. In the Bundesliga, teams were getting a lot of joy going up against them. Their UCL exit to Liverpool was done with a whimper and nothing else as they couldn’t cope with the speed and power of their English opponents.

It became obvious that something had to give. Hummels has rejoined old side, Borussia Dortmund in a £34 million deal (good move by Bayern) while Boateng looks likely to be sold if a willing buyer can be found.

The club has invested huge money in France’s World Cup-winning fullbacks; £31.4 million for Benjamin Pavard (VfB Stuttgart) and €80 million for Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid). Both players can play the centre-back role capably. It is expected that they will rotate with Süle as other options; David Alaba, Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies currently exist in the fullback roles.

The club is not expected to move for any centre-back again though their name is also being called in the de Ligt merry-go-round.

#1 Manchester City

Laporte seems to be the only centre-back that Guardiola trusts

The Cityzens have a problem in central defence and it is one that Pep Guardiola will need to fix. Captain and leader, Vincent Kompany has left to become a player/manager at Anderlecht after 11 years at the Etihad Stadium.

Nicolas Otamendi has looked good in batches and his struggles at Copa America will have alarmed the club. The same applies to John Stones who had a stinker at the UEFA Nations League. Aymeric Laporte seems to be the only centre-back that the manager trusts. This will be a huge problem for the manager as it will be crazy to go into a season with just one trusted centre-back.

It is expected that a senior centre-back will be added to the playing roster before the transfer window closes while one player from the youth squad (most likely Eric Garcia) will be promoted in the event that Otamendi is sold as is being speculated.

The club is still in the race for de Ligt who would be perfect for the high-pressing, passing style Guardiola favours. However, they have also been linked to Leicester City’s Harry Maguire (English quotient).

If Maguire were to be the chosen one, he would cost far more than Van Dijk cost Liverpool which may be too pricey for the Cityzens especially if Rodri comes in from Atletico Madrid.