The 2019/20 season saw the emergence of wonderful left-backs like Alphonso Davies, Robin Gosens, Sergio Reguilón and Ramy Bensebaïni. However, due to injuries and the various effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on world football, a new group of players are the leading men for left fullbacks in Europe this season.
Thus, Football Castle has compiled a list of the best in the position in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
Theo Hernández
The Frenchman was best-known as Lucas’ younger sibling, the France World Cup-winning left-back who is Bayern Munich’s record signing, until he joined AC Milan.
The 23-year-old has since provided a staggering boost in quality since signing from Real Madrid and won the Rossoneri Player of The Year Award in 2019/20; as Stefano Pioli’s appointment in October transformed the Milan club and propelled them to a 27-game unbeaten run in Serie A. The run stretched back the restart from Coronavirus lockdown and they were the only unbeaten side in Europe’s top five leagues until last time out against Juventus.
Hernández is a live-wire presence in the table-topping Serie A side’s backline as he combines defensive resilience (1.8 tackles per game) with a marauding attacking presence. The left-back has four goals and three assists, creating chances at a rate of 1.4 key passes per game. Theo is in the best moment in his career and could well become the best in his position in Europe with a Serie A win at the end of the season.
Andy Robertson
The Scotland captain has improved every single season since joining Liverpool in 2017. Robertson has become one of Europe’s best fullback pairings alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, as they supplied 12 and 13 assists to propel Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, following on from 11 and 12 respectively in the triumphant Champions League season.
In 2020/21, the 26-year-old has been sensationally consistent as The Reds’ only ever-present in the league where Jürgen Klopp has been hit with an injury crisis in defence. Robertson’s influence has helped maintain Liverpool’s high standards as his manager has toiled with 14 different centre-back pairings this season. This was indeed apparent as Robertson completed Liverpool’s recent defeat to Southampton as the only natural defender in the backline. However, his output hasn’t waned with six goal involvements in 17 league appearances.
Ben Chilwell
The England international was always seen as a left-back with great potential, and one of the best in the league at Leicester City. Chilwell has elevated his game since signing for Chelsea last summer, becoming one of the blues’ rather consistent new signings having settled quickly into his surroundings and he is staking a claim as one of the best this season.
The 24-year-old has been fundamental to Chelsea’s forward play with his well-timed attacking runs yielding two goals and four assists. The west londoners are in a poor run of only one win in six games but Chilwell’s positioning and defensive awareness has been helped by the presence of fellow new signing, Thiago Silva, beside him at left centre-back.
On the veteran Brazlian’s influence; Chilwell revealed “Yes, he is a massive personality,” the left-back told Soccer AM. “When you train with him and you play with him he just has that calming aura. “For me, against Burnley, where I played alongside him, he was constantly telling me where to be in my positioning, helping me out.
“Even when the ball is on the other side of the pitch, [he is saying] ‘Chilly [Chilwell], tuck in a bit. Chilly, you can go wider now.’
