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David Alaba is a great signing for Real Madrid

  /  autty

I had the chance to see David Alaba live again in my role as UEFA Technical Observer during the European Championship, and I love him. He will be a great signing for Real Madrid, but we shouldn't put the burden of being Sergio Ramos' replacement on him. The same thing has already happened to Eden Hazard with Cristiano Ronaldo.

What I like most about Alaba is his versatility, but in a good way. There are versatile players who cover positions as a stop-gap. However, Alaba can play in three different positions and he plays at a high level in all of them. For a coach, that is a blessing. If you don't know him and you see him at centre-back, you think he is a centre-back. And if he plays as a full-back or a central midfielder, it's the same thing.

However, his versatility for Austria is almost a problem for him. He has to do everything: bring the ball out, get forward, cross, shoot... If he gets forward he makes the difference, but at the back they are unprotected and vice versa.

In Austria, everyone is looking for Alaba. Against North Macedonia he won the Man of the Match award, against the Netherlands he took the most dangerous shot, and against Ukraine he provided the assist. He is the player everything revolves around. And that is strange for a player who, most of the time, plays at the back.

He's played a lot at full-back, but I think where he feels most comfortable right now is at centre-back, although it's not the same being a centre-back at Real Madrid as it is at Bayern Munich. I say that from my own experience. It's true that Alaba has a very good thing: physical and reaction speed. Anticipating movements is very important when you play with the defence in front of you. That speed also allows him to correct his own mistakes.

It also guarantees you a good outlet for the ball. When a centre-back plays as a central midfielder you usually notice his deficiencies, but that's not the case with him - and he's left footed! In other words: Real Madrid have made a great signing.