If, when you think about Real Madrid’s David Alaba, you think of an accomplished left-back who converted to a third centre-back, much like Ben Davies or Kyle Walker, you’re missing out. When Alaba stopped playing at left-back in 2019, it marked the return of the libero.

The libero (or sweeper) was a feature of most teams until the early 1990s — briefly returning after the turn of the century. This player would effectively remain behind the defensive line but was always a competent ball carrier who could dribble into midfield and comfortably slot in front of the defence too. It gives the team flexibility and fluidity and has since been adopted by other major clubs like Manchester United, with Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw, and Ajax, with Jurrien Timber.

Alaba is excellent on the ball and has a broad passing range. Since the switch to a libero, his progressive pass figures have been some of the best in Europe. Using him in a central area gives him access to more of the pitch and, naturally, more passing angles. It also gets him involved in ball circulation more than he used to be. He sets the tempo in possession.

As a left-footer, he is still used on the left side of central defence, so he spends a lot of time in the half-space during build-up and progression. This is something Bayern Munich tapped into before Alaba’s transfer to Madrid. In the half-space, he can receive the ball and dribble until he attracts enough pressure. Once the opposition closes him down, he can play either to his right — into the central zone — or to the left-back. The half-spaces are so important in the final third, but utilising their properties earlier in progression has allowed Bayern and Real to maximise their passing options and get into dangerous areas quicker.

Off the ball, Alaba’s experience as a left-back and as a defensive midfielder means his team can deal with defensive transitions more confidently. He’ll often fill in by engaging in a one-v-one, stopping attacks at source. His lack of height doesn’t matter so much either, as even lesser teams are increasingly reluctant to deploy big target-man-like strikers these days. Strikers are expected to become No10s in possession now, so different profiles have become more popular.