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#2 Gerard Pique's heroics
Liverpool star, Virgil Van Dijk has been claimed by many as the best defender in the world recently. Proving his worth for the Reds, the Dutch defender won the PFA player of the year award for this season.
However, Gerard Pique has also been in a fine form of his own. The Spaniard has been the backbone of Barcelona's defense throughout the season. Led by the likes of Pique, Lenglet, and Jordi Alba, the Catalans are looking more stable then they were at the time they crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of AS Roma last term.
The 32-year-old Spanish center-back has been in the best of forms across all competitions since the start of the season. Pique's partner at the heart of the Blaugrana's defense, Samuel Umiti has been replaced by his compatriot, Clement Lenglet, who is forming a rigid defensive duo alongside the former Manchester United star.
