Left-back, full-back, winger and playmaker • There's nothing David Alaba can do on the pitch, but when he plays center-back, he's one of the best brakemen in the world • On Bayern Munich's marvelous Austrian, who reinvents himself every time

• Alaba. If asked, he would also fly like a bird

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It's a little hard to remember today, from the heights of this long season, that Bayern Munich's start was not as good as the end. Although Robert Lewandowski scored from the first moment to this day, apart from him the Bavarian champion had to reinvent herself. 

Aside from a new coach - Hanzi Flick, who replaced Nico Kovac in November - Bayern have discovered a lot of new things about their manpower while on the move. For example, Thomas Müller returning to being lethal around the goal, the marvelous abilities of Yozim Kimish in midfield, the speed and talent of Alfonso Davis on the left wing of the defense, and the muscular version of Leon Gorczka. 

Almost every player at Bayern has upgraded throughout the season and become more diverse, but no one seems to have upgraded himself like David Alaba, who is today considered one of the best brakes in the world. 

Twelve years ago, when the 16-year-old Austrian came to Bayern's youth department, the role assigned to him was at all in the link - and he still fills it in the national team uniform. The first to recognize that Alaba is in fact human plasticine was Luis van Gaal, who in 2011 sent the young talent to the left side of the Bayern defense. "He is a left-back, even though he does not think he is like that," the Dutchman stated and no one argued. Alaba was like that until Pep Guardiola came and thought otherwise. 

The Spaniard used the Austrian in the central link, as a left winger and as a playmaker. For Carlo Ancelotti, he sometimes played in the front three in a 4: 3: 3 formation and scored a record of four goals a season, and this year - under Nico Kovacs - was sent to the center of defense due to professional constraints. It happened in the tenth round, against Eintracht Frankfurt, and it was a nightmare. Nicklas Zola and Lucas Hernandez were missing, Jerome Boateng was sent off after nine minutes, and Alaba was left alone and was unable to prevent a 5-1 defeat. It was the game that sent Kovacs home, and the Austrian to the role of his life. 

Other players would probably have a hard time making the adaptation, but Alaba - as everyone testifies - is so diverse that he has no problem getting into any position naturally. Guardiola defined him as "God" and expected that one day he would become the best brake in the world. Van Gaal said that "Alaba is not just good, he is very good." Every coach who has coached the Austrian tells of a player who can do anything - from scoring goals to diagonal closures - and thanks to these things Flick did not hesitate to keep him in the center of defense despite the unsuccessful opening. 

"He is a smart player who leads the defense and gives instructions to everyone," explained the coach, who in his first game placed Alaba as a stopper and got a 0: 4 victory over Borussia Dortmund, who for the first time in the era of statistics did not kick Manuel Neuer's goal at all. 

Since then, in the league, cup and Champions League Alaba has been an anchor in Bayern's defense. His defensive figures (tackles and height struggles) may be low compared to other brakes on the continent, but in other aspects (especially offensive) he surpasses them all, and most importantly he accurately meets Bayern's demands of him. 

"He is an excellent left-back," Kimish testified, "but as a brake he is one of the best in the world." And now that he's like that, Bayern have to work hard to keep him. Alaba's contract expires in the summer of 2021, and the 28-year-old has yet to sign an extension. A lot of rumors are starting to pop up about his future, but chairman Carl Heinz Rummenigge said this week: "I have a cautious optimism that we will be able to reach a new agreement." 

Bayern hope to close this story as soon as possible because Alaba is critical to its success. Very much, and tonight against Barcelona he will be even more necessary, because the last time the teams met, the injured Alaba saw from the sidelines how Leo Messi dropped Bayern's brake, then Jerome Boateng, as if he were a sack of potatoes.