Real Madrid: Three players David Alaba helps the most

Real Madrid’s first of two signings this past summer – David Alaba, the second being Eduardo Camavinga – has been an absolute success. I could even go as far as saying that he has been the best signing for any club this season. There is no other player that has had this big of an impact in the position that they play in, and there is no one who has fit in this seamlessly in the first six months of the stint.

Alaba has been great, and has proved all his doubters wrong. Not many people thought he’d be able to hold his own at centre-back, but he has, and the Austrian has exceeded all expectations, truly.

It’s not only about what Alaba has done as a centre-back individually. Like, yes, he’s played really well, but that’s not all he does. He’s a great team player, and we can see how his qualities help other teammates in every single game, even if we don’t notice it.

Here are three of those players that Alaba has helped the most so far.

Ferland Mendy

Real Madrid were struggling a lot until Ferland Mendy returned from his long, injury-related absence in the game against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. And from that point on, Real Madrid have been in incredible form. Keep in mind, Real Madrid haven’t lost since he returned to the squad.

Of course, like with any other player, Mendy certainly has his limitations. He is not the best going forward, and he doesn’t do as well as he should under pressure. Alaba has helped the Frenchman in both of these things. Whenever Mendy has the ball and is being pressed by the opponents, Alaba would make himself available as an outlet to pass to, and then would use his press resistance to get through any press targeted at him.

Sometimes, to hide his shortcomings as an attacking full-back, Mendy would stay back and let Alaba become a makeshift left-back, which helps both players, really, if you think about it. It’s great to have these two players play together in such tandem, and I’m all for it.