Bundesliga Preview: The league’s top left-backs

[ad_1]

www.bavarianfootballworks.com

Pacey wing backs, pacey wing backs everywhere.

Welcome back to the Bundesliga Preview for 2023/24, where we will be going position by position and ranking the top players that the league has to offer! We’ve covered goalkeepers, center-backs and right-backs, so let’s finish up the backline with a ranking of the league’s best left-backs!

Note: Due to systemic incompatibility, left wing-backs and left midfielders in back three formations will (for the most part) be counted as left-backs. This is to minimise the amount of players left in the cold due to being neither a true nor a full-back nor a winger.

20. Marco John (TSG Hoffenheim)
A lack of other players deserving of this spot is the reason he sneaks in.

19. Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart)
The former Hertha Berlin left wing-back joins Stuttgart as a backup, and is a more than capable deputy.

18. Luca Netz (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Netz is a capable left back but Gladbach must be more ambitious if they want to stay in the mid-table after losing their starting left back alongside some other very important players.

17. Maximilian Wittek (VfL Bochum)
Bochum’s new left wing-back signing may impress a few but they have a better option within the squad itself.

16. Iago (FC Augsburg)
The Brazilian left-back has become a mainstay in the Augsburg lineup for the last few years and will hope to continue his ascent alongside the club’s general positive trajectory.

15. Rogério (VfL Wolfsburg)
Wolfsburg’s backup left-back last season, Rogério is a well balanced full-back with the ability to affect play on both ends of the pitch.

14. Jérôme Roussillon (Union Berlin)
The Frenchman may be removed from his best years as an explosive wing back for Montpellier and Wolfsburg, but Union still have a very capable deputy on their hands for when the starter is unavailable.

13. Nicolas Cozza (VfL Wolfsburg)
Another Montpellier alumnus, Cozza is most comfortable as a defensive minded full-back, with his qualities off the ball being on par with a good center-back rather than that of a wide man.

12. Christopher Lenz (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Frankfurt’s backup left wing-back continues to be a great deputy for the club whenever called upon.

11. Danilo Soares (VfL Bochum)
Soares is one of the most consistent players in the league, churning out hardworking performance after hardworking performance every week for Bochum. A true team player.

10. Philipp Max (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Arriving from PSV Eindhoven, Max was once a highly valued prospect. Frankfurt will most likely get some good work out of him, if their track record were to indicate anything.

9. Borna Sosa (VfB Stuttgart)
One of the better chance creators around in Europe, Sosa is a tireless threat down the left flank for Stuttgart, and will hope to continue the work which attracted massive interest in him from top European clubs including the likes of Bayern Munich and AS Roma.

8. Anthony Caci (FSV Mainz)
One of the original Cyler darlings, Caci was a player I first watched excel for RC Strasbourg in France when he was a center-back. Now a left-back at Mainz, Caci is crucial to the team’s functioning with his ability to find players from deep with long passes as well as his uncompromising and unforgiving style of defending.

7. Christian Günter (SC Freiburg)
Freiburg’s captain is always down for a fight, being one of the most consistent and rugged players for the decade that he has been a member of their first team. Günter is a rare mix of pragmatic workhorse-like qualities with the smallest dashes of class and elegance when the ball is at his feet.

6. David Raum (RB Leipzig)
The former Hoffenheim left wing-back is yet to recreate his best form at Leipzig, but remains a dangerous player with his explosive pace, gun of a left foot and combative nature.

5. Robin Gosens (Union Berlin)
Union’s statement signing for the season is formerly Atalanta’s wide ace and Internazionale backup Gosens, who showed he is still a class player after some top performances for Inter off the bench as well as some great performances for the German national team. Gosens was once considered a world class wide man, and while he is no longer at that status he may well return to it very soon if he plays consistently once again.

4. Ramy Bensebaïni (Borussia Dortmund)
Dortmund’s new left-back is dangerous. A world class defender, Bensebaïni has the power to shut down any threat coming down his flank and immediately turn that around into an attack of his own with his amazing passing range and even more impressive dribbling.

3. Raphaël Guerreiro (Bayern Munich)
However, Dortmund have lost a world class player in turn. While Guerreiro’s best months haven’t come from the left-back position, it is still his natural position and is likely where he will be used by Bayern Munich. One of the best creators in Europe, full stop.

2. Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)
As a Bayern fan, this signing scares me. Grimaldo is the only left-back in the world who competes with the player at #1 on this list, and Leverkusen managed to pick him up for free. Xabi Alonso is cooking up a title-winning team at this rate.

1. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)

Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

The Bundesliga has the two best left-backs in the world, and they are Alejandro Grimaldo and Alphonso Davies.

Already on a pair of assists after one game, Davies’ explosive pace is a nightmare that we’ve heard about time and time again. We’ve heard it all before. But what we don’t hear about is Davies’ defensive game, which has improved considerably. Davies is often found making some unbelievable recoveries using his speed, as well as some great last-ditch tackles. While everyone knows about Davies’ danger going forward, not many take count of just how many times Davies also bails the Bayern defense out using his speed and strength.

What do you think of our picks? Is there any order you would’ve changed? Do you think Grimaldo will eclipse Davies by the end of the season? Let us know in the discussion below.

[ad_2]

Read Entire Article