As the saying goes “Attack wins you games. Defense wins you titles”. Spain’s solid impenetrable defense was one of the keys to their success in the previous two editions of UEFA EURO. The four-man backline will most likely be filled by Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, and Sergio Ramos. That leaves us with the right side of the defense. Ever since the retirement of Carles Puyol and switching of Sergio Ramos from the right to the centre of the defence, the right back has been a position of worry for the Spaniards.
With Dani Carvajal out injured, the right-back position of the defending champions must be filled by either of Atletico Madrid’s Juanfran, Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta or the most recent addition to the Spanish squad – Hector Bellerin of Arsenal.
Today we look at each of the contenders for the spot and try to decipher who will finally get Vicente del Bosque’s nod for the starting eleven.
| Total Passes | Pass Completion | Key Passes | Chances created | Goals Scored | Aerial duels won | Interceptions | Blocks | Clearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azpilicueta | 1766 | 81% | 17 | 20 | 2 | 43 | 86 | 16 | 128 |
| Juanfran | 1162 | 77% | 29 | 30 | 1 | 19 | 68 | 7 | 67 |
| Bellerin | 1664 | 86% | 17 | 22 | 1 | 38 | 67 | 7 | 105 |
Cesar Azpilicueta
Azpilicueta is a hard-working resilient defender known for his never-back-down attitude. The most defensive minded of the three, the Chelsea man interestingly has passed the ball more than either Juanfran or Bellerin. This totally comes in handy considering Spain’s ball-retention and tiki-taka philosophy.
Comparing the stats of 2015-16 Premier league season, Azpilicueta scores above his compatriots in passes, goals scored, tackles, aerials duels, interceptions, clearances, and blocks. It is to be noted that he is given very little protection by Eden Hazard, who is quite rightly given the freedom to roam the pitch & work his magic, but opponents rarely get the better of an isolated Azpilicueta.
A right-footer on the left side of defence could often be taken on around the outside, but the Spaniard tends to try and show opponents infield, and when they do make it past him down the line he has a fantastic turn of pace with which to recover. His 2.4 tackles per game are amongst the best in the Premier League, while he makes even more (3.3) in Champions League matches.
All the while he commits just 0.6 fouls per game. Unassuming in his defensive duties, what makes the Spaniard so impressive is that his work often goes unnoticed. A full-back's work without the ball is often only highlighted when their opposing winger runs riot, but he is often an unmentioned member of fortified Chelsea performances. At his worst, Azpilicueta would still be a solid, reliable, consistent part of any Spanish squad. The defender is both a stern stalwart against opposition attackers and a valuable attacking outlet on the front foot.
Juanfran
A former right-sided midfielder, Juanfran still has the attacking genes in him. The Atletico Madrid man is more of an attack-minded full-back known for his surging runs forward and sharp crosses. He remained the second choice right back in qualifying to Dani Carvajal. Juanfran starred in Spain’s win in the dead rubber against Australia in the 2014 World Cup. However, it is to be noted that he was in the playing 11 that was defeated by Slovakia; La Furia Roja’s only defeat in qualifying.
Comparing the stats of 2015-16 La Liga season, Juanfran betters his competitors at key passes and chances created. Juanfran is also a part of perhaps Europe’s best back unit, playing almost every match at Atletico Madrid. His form managed to impress Vicente del Bosque who included him in his 23-man squad for Brazil in 2014, although he was not given a starting spot.
However, it is this season that Juanfran has managed to peak and attract media attention through his much improved attacking work. Juanfran is frequently seen in the attacking third, always giving an attacking option to his side, with the ability and confidence to take on defenders in one-on-one situations and he has continuously helped the Rojiblancos break the deadlock.
Moreover, he certainly does not lack commitment as he gives his full 100% out on the pitch. His development has not gone unnoticed and recently Simeone said that “When Juanfran is good, the team has both a right-back and a winger in the same position,” and with Atletico becoming more and more successful the standards are rising and Juanfran has exceeded these standards, playing almost every match this season for them.
In addition, he has shown that his form can also extend to his national side with brilliant performances whenever called upon. If his form remains at the current level, Spain’s chances of retaining the title will be a great deal higher.
Hector Bellerin
Hector Bellerin is yet another La Masia graduate who was snapped up by Arsene Wenger at the tender age of 16. True to his roots, he is a ball playing defender who is renowned in his technical ability yet falls short on positional awareness. Arsenal’s young full-back Hector Bellerin has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past 12 months, going from youth and reserve team player to the first team’s first choice right back.
The youngster surpassed expensive summer signing Calum Chambers in the race to take over for the fallen Mathieu Debuchy last season, making the position his own. The pacey defender contributed a few assists and goals down the flank aside from his sound defensive work, with the league and the rest of Europe standing up and taking notice.
The 21-year-old has more successful take-ons, assists & pass completion rate than Juanfran and Azipilicueta in the league. Such stellar performances saw him retain his spot this season despite Debuchy returning, and he has even been rewarded with his first start for the Spanish national side at the end of May 2016. In fact, he has proven to be one of the best right-backs in the Premier League being named in PFA Team of the year.
Bellerin’s pace is his most valuable asset. No too many footballers can match Hector stride for stride with reports circling around the interwebs that he even smashed Theo Walcott’s timing in the 40-yard dash. His recovery pace is evident during matches which means he isn’t punished as much for lack of proper positioning. The youngster has been effective in keeping Premier League’s paciest customers at bay most of the time, impressing with the quality of his crosses and the timing of his runs.
Verdict
Going by the stats Juanfran provides a direct route to attack the Atletico way whereas Azpilicueta is the soundest defensive option with the added bonus of surprise goals and assists. Meanwhile, Hector has the makings of a world-class right-back who could cement his place in La Furia Roja’s starting line-up in the near future.
Though Bellerin is a capable player, he is young and doesn’t have enough experience in the big stage to be in the playing eleven. Keeping in mind that Alba too is an attacking full-back, playing both him and Juanfran on the flanks might leave Spain a bit exposed at the back.
However, going by recent trends, we might expect Juanfran to start against the Czech Republic. However, De Bosque might go for a much defensive minded set-up against the likes of Turkey and Croatia, which should suit Cesar Azpilicueta to the core. If the Chelsea man plays to his potential, he might as well displace Juanfran in the starting XI for the knockout stages.
