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Italian football is famed for being the home of the 'catenaccio'. Helenio Herrera's legendary Grande Inter were perhaps the biggest proponents of this style of play.
No country has produced as many iconic defenders as Italy. The list of legendary defenders to come through Serie A reads like a who's who of greatest defenders throughout the history of football.
The likes of Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Gaetano Scirea, Giuseppe Bergomi, Claudio Gentile, Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta are just a few of the great names that readily come to mind.
Serie A has evolved from the highly defensive system of previous eras to a more tactical and esthetic style in recent years. However, there are still some top-tier defenders who are proving their mettle on a regular basis in the Italian top-flight.
With another season of exciting Serie A football upon us, we shall be having a rundown of five defenders to watch out for in the 2021-22 Serie A season.
#5 Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan)
Stefan de Vrij was a mainstay at the heart of the Inter Milan defense under Antonio Conte. But his is role is unlikely to change with Simone Inzaghi now at the helm.
The Nerrazzuri have undergone several changes in the few months since winning Serie A. They might struggle to maintain the heights of the last two seasons.
However, Inter still have some quality players within their ranks and Stefan de Vrij is one of the players who will be expected to take charge of proceedings on the field.
The 29-year-old joined the San Siro outfit in 2018 after four seasons of stellar displays with Lazio. He has continued his commanding performance for Inter and is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Serie A.
Inter Milan will have an extra spotlight placed on them this season in light of recent off-field decisions. And Stefan de Vrij is one of the players who can help them weather the storm.
#4 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
Kalidou Koulibaly has found himself on the radar of practically every top club in Europe over the last few years. But he is about to start yet another season in the colors of Napoli.
The Senegal international has a commanding presence at the heart of defense and is adept at reading the game. His imposing physique also makes him a useful threat in both boxes and he is blessed with great technique while playing out from the back.
With Napoli having narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification last term, the club will be hoping to go one better this season. And Koulibaly's displays at the back will be crucial.
#3 Merih Demiral (Atalanta)
Merih Demiral has had a journeyman career that has seen him represent six clubs despite being only 23 years of age.
The Turkey international joined Juventus in the summer of 2019, becoming the first Turkish player to play for the club and big things were expected from him.
After an initial period of adaptation, Demiral started to find his feet before a horrific knee injury halted his progress in January 2020.
Demiral struggled to regain his momentum after spending several months on the sidelines and was largely on the sidelines for the majority of the 2020-21 season.
A loan deal was agreed with Atalanta to garner more playing time and the former Sassuolo man will be tasked with filling the big shoes of Cristian Romero, who departed Bergamo to join Tottenham.
#2 Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Fikayo Tomori was one of several Chelsea academy graduates who enjoyed success while on loan at other clubs between 2017 and 2019.
However, unlike the likes of Reece James, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, Tomori failed to become a regular at his boyhood club.
This saw him join AC Milan on a loan deal in January 2021. At San Siro, the 23-year-old excelled and held the fort at the back in the absence of Simon Kjaer through injuries.
Tomori's display in six months helped convince the Milan board to sanction his purchase permanently and all eyes will be on him to see if he can continue his development.
#1 Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus)
Matthijs de Ligt was the captain of the highly youthful Ajax side that defied all expectations in the 2018-19 season. The centre-back himself was a 19-year-old who belied his age with his composure and excellent leadership skills.
His displays saw him become the first defender to win the prestigious Golden Boy award and he completed a mega transfer to Juventus in the summer of 2019.
Things have, however, not gone to plan for the Netherlands international in Turin and he has not had the career trajectory that many envisaged a few years ago.
Matthijs de Ligt is still prone to lapses in concentration that gift possession to opposition attackers, while the presence of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci has also limited his playing time.
The highly experienced duo showed they still have what it takes to perform at the elite level at Euro 2020 and are likely to be Allgeri's first-choice defensive pairing this season.
The onus is on Matthijs de Ligt to take advantage of any opportunity he gets to show that he still has an important role to play for the Bianconeri this term.
Also See: Six greatest players who never received an international cap
