The Best Centre Backs
The presence of skilled central defenders in front of a goalkeeper greatly facilitates their task. These defenders play a crucial role in preventing the opposing team from approaching your team’s goal in a dangerous manner.
Two attributes are particularly significant for central defenders: defending and physicality. A player with strong defending abilities has a higher likelihood of successfully dispossessing opponents and preventing them from reaching the penalty area. The physical attribute measures the players’ ability to use their bodies effectively in winning possession.
   Milan Škriniar | 86 |
  Alessandro Bastoni | 84 |
   Fikayo Tomori | 84 |
  Stefan de Vrij | 84 |
  Leonardo Bonucci | 84 |
  Bremer | 83 |
 Francesco Acerbi | 82 |
  Simon Kjær | 82 |
  Rafael Tolói | 81 |
  Gianluca Mancini | 81 |
 Chris Smalling | 81 |
   Amir Rrahmani | 80 |
   Nikola Milenković | 80 |
  Alessio Romagnoli | 80 |
 Marten de Roon | 80 |
 Ibañez | 79 |
  Kim Min Jae | 79 |
  Berat Djimsiti | 79 |
   Samuel Umtiti | 79 |
 Pierre Kalulu | 78 |
| Milan Škriniar | 88 |
| Stefan de Vrij | 87 |
| Alessandro Bastoni | 86 |
| Fikayo Tomori | 86 |
| Leonardo Bonucci | 85 |
| Francesco Acerbi | 85 |
| Bremer | 84 |
| Simon Kjær | 84 |
| Chris Smalling | 83 |
| Alessio Romagnoli | 83 |
| Rafael Tolói | 82 |
| Amir Rrahmani | 82 |
| Marten de Roon | 82 |
| Berat Djimsiti | 82 |
| Gianluca Mancini | 81 |
| Nikola Milenković | 81 |
| Ibañez | 81 |
| Kim Min Jae | 79 |
| Samuel Umtiti | 79 |
| Pierre Kalulu | 79 |
| Gianluca Mancini | 87 |
| Milan Škriniar | 86 |
| Kim Min Jae | 84 |
| Marten de Roon | 83 |
| Nikola Milenković | 83 |
 Igor | 83 |
  Omar Colley | 83 |
| Alessandro Bastoni | 82 |
| Rafael Tolói | 82 |
| Fikayo Tomori | 81 |
| Berat Djimsiti | 81 |
| Chris Smalling | 80 |
| Amir Rrahmani | 80 |
  Merih Demiral | 80 |
| Stefan de Vrij | 79 |
| Bremer | 79 |
| Ibañez | 79 |
| Leonardo Bonucci | 78 |
| Francesco Acerbi | 78 |
| Simon Kjær | 78 |
| Fikayo Tomori | 86 |
| Ibañez | 82 |
| Kim Min Jae | 80 |
| Pierre Kalulu | 80 |
| Milan Škriniar | 78 |
| Bremer | 78 |
 Federico Dimarco | 76 |
 Stefan Posch | 75 |
| Nicolò Casale | 74 |
| Alessandro Bastoni | 73 |
| Merih Demiral | 73 |
| Igor | 73 |
| Berat Djimsiti | 71 |
 Jeison Murillo | 71 |
| Marten de Roon | 70 |
| Juan Jesus | 69 |
 Patric | 69 |
| Stefan de Vrij | 68 |
 Danilo D’Ambrosio | 68 |
| Gianluca Mancini | 67 |
Global Overview (CB)
There are plenty of quality center-backs in this league, but, in our opinion, Tomori and Škriniar are the best ones. They are very strong, fast, and only de Vrij defends as well as them. Our preference goes to Tomori, who is faster, but the defensive skills of Škriniar are also impressive.
Far from the quality of these two, you can also use Kim Min Jae, Bremer, and Ibañez. The South Korean center-back was one of the good surprises this year. He is fast, strong, and has a much better work rate than Roma’s defender.
There is also Bonucci, who is a good defender but too slow for most of the teams.
Top 10 CBs
| 1 | Fikayo Tomori |
| 2 | Milan Škriniar |
| 3 | Kim Min Jae |
| 4 | Bremer |
| 5 | Ibañez |
| 6 | Alessandro Bastoni |
| 7 | Marten de Roon |
| 8 | Pierre Kalulu |
| 9 | Stefan de Vrij |
| 10 | Leonardo Bonucci |
The Best Right Backs
The role of Serie A right backs is similar to their counterparts on the opposite flank. Their primary objective is to make it challenging for opposing wingers and actively contribute to their team’s offensive strategies.
Defending and pace are crucial attributes for any right back in the Italian League. As defenders, they need to possess strong defensive abilities to minimize the risk of conceding goals.
Given the nature of play on the flanks, which tends to be faster than the central areas of the field, right backs need to be quick, capable of both defensive and attacking movements, and able to penetrate the opposition’s defenses. They play a vital role in supporting the team’s overall gameplay.
 Juan Cuadrado | 83 |
 Denzel Dumfries | 82 |
 Giovanni Di Lorenzo | 82 |
 Davide Calabria | 80 |
 Rick Karsdorp | 80 |
 Hans Hateboer | 80 |
 Danilo | 80 |
 Matteo Darmian | 80 |
 Manuel Lazzari | 79 |
  Adam Marušić | 79 |
 Alessandro Florenzi | 79 |
| Pierre Kalulu | 78 |
  Marco Davide Faraoni | 78 |
  Sergiño Dest | 77 |
  Wilfried Singo | 76 |
| Joakim Mæhle | 76 |
| Zeki Çelik | 76 |
| Mattia De Sciglio | 76 |
 Lorenzo De Silvestri | 76 |
| Stefan Posch | 75 |
| Danilo | 81 |
| Matteo Darmian | 81 |
| Davide Calabria | 79 |
| Pierre Kalulu | 79 |
| Stefan Posch | 79 |
| Giovanni Di Lorenzo | 78 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 78 |
| Hans Hateboer | 77 |
| Juan Cuadrado | 76 |
| Patric | 76 |
| Mattia De Sciglio | 76 |
| Rick Karsdorp | 75 |
| Adam Marušić | 75 |
| Alessandro Florenzi | 74 |
| Lorenzo De Silvestri | 73 |
| Zeki Çelik | 73 |
| Marco Davide Faraoni | 72 |
| Wilfried Singo | 72 |
| Elseid Hysaj | 72 |
 Samuele Birindelli | 71 |
| Manuel Lazzari | 92 |
| Juan Cuadrado | 90 |
| Dodô | 88 |
| Sergiño Dest | 86 |
| Giovanni Di Lorenzo | 85 |
| Rick Karsdorp | 85 |
| Joakim Mæhle | 85 |
| Adam Marušić | 84 |
| Samuele Birindelli | 84 |
| Denzel Dumfries | 83 |
| Hans Hateboer | 82 |
| Pierre Kalulu | 80 |
| Davide Calabria | 79 |
| Wilfried Singo | 79 |
  Petar Stojanović | 79 |
| Marco Davide Faraoni | 78 |
| Valentino Lazaro | 78 |
| Zeki Çelik | 77 |
| Alessandro Florenzi | 76 |
| Elseid Hysaj | 75 |
Global Overview (RB, RWB)
It’s not from today, but, as you probably know, there is a lack of quality on right backs from Serie A. In our opinion, Juan Cuadrado is still the best player in this position. He has the highest dribbling stats and the second-best pace and passing. Only Florenzi has better shooting than him. Unfortunately, Cuadrado is not as good on the defense.
There are players you may use, but your choice should consider their weak points:
- Danilo is slow and more focused on the defense.
- Dumfries, Kalulu, and Marušić have low passing stats.
- Lazzari is physically weak.
The 10 RBs/RWBs
| 1 | Juan Cuadrado |
| 2 | Giovanni Di Lorenzo |
| 3 | Denzel Dumfries |
| 4 | Pierre Kalulu |
| 5 | Rick Karsdorp |
| 6 | Manuel Lazzari |
| 7 | Adam Marušić |
| 8 | Hans Hateboer |
| 9 | Danilo |
| 10 | Davide Calabria |
The Best Left Backs
The role of left backs in Serie A is similar to their counterparts on the opposite side. They strive to make it difficult for opposing wingers and actively participate in their team’s offensive strategies.
Defending and speed are essential attributes for any left back in Serie A.
As defenders, left backs need to possess strong defensive abilities to minimize the team’s vulnerability to conceding goals. Given the faster pace of play on the flanks compared to the center of the field, left backs must be quick, adept at both defensive and attacking movements, and contribute to the overall team gameplay through their incisive runs and defensive contributions.
 Theo Hernández | 85 |
 Filip Kostić | 85 |
  Robin Gosens | 82 |
 Leonardo Spinazzola | 82 |
 Cristiano Biraghi | 80 |
 Alex Sandro | 80 |
| Adam Marušić | 79 |
 Davide Zappacosta | 79 |
| Federico Dimarco | 78 |
  Mário Rui | 78 |
| Sergiño Dest | 77 |
  Mathías Olivera | 77 |
| Mattia De Sciglio | 76 |
| Giuseppe Pezzella | 75 |
| Matías Viña | 75 |
| Elseid Hysaj | 75 |
| Theo Hernández | 78 |
| Leonardo Spinazzola | 78 |
| Robin Gosens | 77 |
| Cristiano Biraghi | 77 |
| Alex Sandro | 76 |
| Mattia De Sciglio | 76 |
| Adam Marušić | 75 |
| Davide Zappacosta | 75 |
| Federico Dimarco | 74 |
| Mathías Olivera | 74 |
| Mário Rui | 73 |
| Elseid Hysaj | 72 |
| Sergiño Dest | 69 |
| Giuseppe Pezzella | 69 |
| Filip Kostić | 68 |
| Matías Viña | 68 |
| Theo Hernández | 93 |
| Leonardo Spinazzola | 91 |
| Sergiño Dest | 86 |
| Filip Kostić | 84 |
| Adam Marušić | 84 |
| Robin Gosens | 82 |
| Matías Viña | 81 |
| Mário Rui | 80 |
| Davide Zappacosta | 78 |
| Cristiano Biraghi | 76 |
| Alex Sandro | 76 |
| Federico Dimarco | 76 |
| Giuseppe Pezzella | 76 |
| Elseid Hysaj | 75 |
| Mathías Olivera | 74 |
| Mattia De Sciglio | 67 |
Global Overview (LB, LWB)
There is more quality on the left side of the defense than on the right side, which isn’t difficult. However, there are only 16 left-backs from which to choose. It’s easy to agree that Theo Hernández is the best left back in three of the six face stats: pace, defense, and physical.
If you can’t pay Hernandez’s price, we suggest you try Spinazolla. He is also very fast and good at dribbling.
Between Gosens and Kostić, our third and fourth options, we go for the first. The Juventus midfielder has the lowest defensive skills of this group of players, making him better in the other areas of the field.
The 10 LBs/LWBs
| 1 | Theo Hernández |
| 2 | Leonardo Spinazzola |
| 3 | Robin Gosens |
| 4 | Filip Kostić |
| 5 | Cristiano Biraghi |
| 6 | Adam Marušić |
| 7 | Sergiño Dest |
| 8 | Alex Sandro |
| 9 | Davide Zappacosta |
| 10 | Mário Rui |