David Alaba captained FC Bayern for the first time in his 400th competitive appearance! The Austrian featured at centre-back in the Champions League match away to Atlético on Tuesday, and his stats stress his importance: Alaba played 102 passes and had 110 touches of the ball. Only Niklas Süle boasted more (106 passes, 117 touches).
Debut more than ten years ago
The 28-year-old made his debut for FC Bayern's first team more than ten years ago, a 6-2 victory over SpVgg Greuther Fürth on 10 February 2010. Alaba is the longest-serving player in the squad after Thomas Müller, who made his first appearance on 15 August 2008. The Austria international was subbed on for Anatoliy Tymoshchuk after 58 minutes, when the scores were level at 2-2. One minute after coming on, Alaba set up Bayern's third goal scored by Franck Ribéry. After a loan spell at TSG Hoffenheim from January to June 2011, Alaba has been an indispensable pillar at Bayern, reinforced by his 349 starts.
Twice a CL winner and countless other titles
He was moved from left wing into central defence after Niklas Süle ruptured his cruciate ligament. David Alaba played an outstanding season and won his second treble after 2013.
Like Manuel Neuer, J érôme Boateng and Thomas Müller, Alaba was a starter in the Champions League final in 2013 and the triumph in Lisbon in 2020. In addition to the two titles in Europe, the Vienna-born player has won a total of nine league titles, six DFB Cups, the FIFA Club World Cup once and the UEFA Supercup twice. In this season too, he and his team are once again on course to defend their league title.
Second-youngest FCB debutant
At 17 years and 231 days, Alaba, who moved from Austria Vienna to FCB in summer 2008, was exceptionally young on debut. Only Jamal Musiala (17 years, 115 days), who was also in the starting line-up today, has debuted for Bayern at a younger age. Directly after the pair is Bright Arrey-Mbi, who made his professional debut today at the age of 17 years and 250 days.
Only Ribéry with more games
With 400 games and 301 wins, only Ribéry (425 games), with whom Alaba formed a dream partnership on the left side for the German record champions for some years, has more games for FCB as a foreign import. If the Austrian keeps fit, he could overtake his long-time team-mate and close friend this season. From the current squad, only Neuer (402) and Müller (552) have played more games than Alaba.
The match report:
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