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A successful football team always requires versatile players who can play well in different positions. These days, a club competing at the highest level in Europe requires utility players who can provide various options to the manager while rotating the squad.
Everyone's familiar with some world class players who are versatile and can play at different positions when required. Manchester United had Wayne Rooney, Bayern Munich has David Alaba and similarly, Liverpool has James Milner.
Here, we take a look at 5 versatile players who could be really helpful to their respective clubs and their Champions League campaigns.
#5. Nacho Fernandez
Positions he can play: Centre back, Right back, Left Back.
Qualities: Decent sprint speed, sliding tackles and heading accuracy.
Real Madrid have not had the best of starts to the season due to many reasons. One of them was that they had a number of significant absentees from the playing 11. They haven't started a single game with their strongest squad but one spark in their squad has been Nacho Fernandez.
His dedication and consistency make him a quality player. Apart from centre-back, he has played as a left back when Marcelo was injured and now when Carvajal is sidelined due to heart problems, Zidane will put his trust in Nacho to do the job at the right back too.
His recent performance against Espanyol was impressive too. Playing as a left back he linked up well with Isco. He could not match the level of Marcelo in attack but he was solid in defence.
Therefore, Nacho is definitely a great addition to Zidane's squad.
#4. Eric Dier
Positions he can play: Centre back, Right back and Defensive Midfielder
Qualities: Heading, Physical strength and Tackling
Eric Dier has already shown how much he means to Tottenham in the past few seasons. He is a technically sound player. He has decent pace and an impressive free-kick taking ability.
So far, Dier has been seen playing very well for the club. In the match against Chelsea, he couldn't do anything to stop Alonso from scoring two goals but he was a decent performer for Spurs, playing in midfield.
Eric has evolved into an impressive defensive midfielder. He can stop attacks as well as build up the play for his team. He can also provide long balls for the forwards.
With Spurs in incredible form, Dier will be crucial to their exploits. The manager, Mauricio Pochettino, would rely on the 23-year-old English to control his midfield as well as to connect the attack and defence well.
#3. Cesar Azpilicueta
Positions he can play: Centre back, Right back and Left Back
Qualities: Tackling, Stamina and Short Passing.
Azpilicueta was primarily a left back but was brought into the centre back role after John Terry left and Antonio Conte shifted to a formation with three central defenders. His versatility is well-known around Europe. Last season, he made 140 clearances in the league and hardly made any defensive errors at all which is commendable.
Azpilicueta can defend very well, he can play as the last man for the team and also as a ball-playing centre-back. He was fabulous in the opening match for Chelsea against Qarabag. He made vital interceptions for his team and prevented all dangers. He was involved in attacks and even grabbed a goal for the team.
Now the vice-captain of Chelsea, Azpilicueta definitely adds a lot of quality to the team and is one of Conte's prized assets. Although he doesn't get too many starts for Spain, he will definitely have an important role in Chelsea's endeavours in the Champions League.
#2. Sergi Roberto
Positions he can play: Right back, Midfielder and Right wing.
Qualities: Passing and Stamina.
Sergi Roberto is a product of the famous La Masia academy. He is naturally a central midfielder but can play at several other positions. He spent the majority of his playing time at the right back spot last season.
He announced himself to world football with his exceptional performance in the El Clasico playing at the right wing as Messi was injured in 2015/16. He started the game as a right winger and provided a sublime assist to Suarez in the opening 15 minutes. Last season, he scored the winning goal for Barcelona against PSG completing the greatest comeback ever.
He can play both the attacking and defensive roles in the midfield apart from being able to play anywhere on the right flank. Roberto, being familiar with the Barcelona style of play, connects very well with teammates and possesses fantastic passing skills.
A quality player with such versatility is a great asset for Valverde's Barcelona. The Barcelona manager definitely knows how crucial Roberto can prove to be considering his technique, skills and first team experience.
#1. Joshua Kimmich
Positions he can play: Centre back, Right back and Midfield
Qualities: Passing, Crossing, Stamina and Dribbling.
The German star is an extraordinary player. After the retirement of Lahm, Kimmich has now become a regular starter at right back for Bayern Munich. He is only 22-years-old and shows great promise in all the positions he plays.
The embarrassing loss for Bayern against PSG was an eye-opener for the German Giants. But one Bayern player who caught the spectator's eyes was surely Kimmich. He was active all around the pitch. He was deployed at right back. He floated in few good crosses and created chances but his efforts went in vain.
Apart from playing as a right back, he can also fit in as a centre back and even play as a midfielder if the situation warrants it. Kimmich has surely been a livewire for Bayern this season and he is also known for his pinpoint crossing.
Kimmich has already provided 3 assists and created 20 chances for his team in the opening 6 games of the Bundesliga. Kimmich is a top-class player with a great understanding of the game. He will surely be in the limelight if Bayern go on to win some silverware.
Honourable Mentions:
Alessandro Florenzi (AS Roma)
Emre Can (Liverpool)
Benedict Howedes (Juventus)
