The rise of defenders – Palestra and the evolution of the role
Long gone are the days when defenders were judged purely on their ability to stop attacking threats. Today, the role demands far more, including building play from the back, carrying the ball forward, outnumbering opponents in key areas, and even contributing in the final third. Serie A 2025/26 has reflected this shift perfectly, showcasing a new wave of defenders who are just as comfortable shaping attacks as they are stopping them.
At the heart of this evolution is Marco Palestra, the league’s best defender and one of the standout stars of the season. While he emerged, established names once again delivered across different roles, whether as centre-backs who score, deep playmakers, or defenders in the classic mould.
Marco Palestra, the future of defending is already here
Palestra’s breakthrough has been one of the stories of the season. Born in 2005, he rose through the youth ranks at Atalanta and now thrives at Cagliari under Fabio Pisacane. He was named Serie A Enilive Best Defender for 2025/26, proving himself to be one of the most promising attacking threats in the league from a defensive position.
Primarily a wing-back, with licence to play almost like a winger, Palestra made his mark through his pace, boldness, and ability to beat players one-on-one. He also won the Frecciarossa Speed Award, given to the fastest player in terms of sprinting in the league, recording 27.96 km/h ahead of Rasmus Højlund and Dodô.
The stats demonstrate the extent of his impact. He finished third in the league for both attempted dribbles (118) and successful dribbles (81), and was number one among all defenders across Europe’s top five leagues in completed dribbles. Palestra also registered 67 touches in the opposition box, ranking fifth among defenders in Serie A, highlighting his constant presence in threatening positions. He was also the most fouled player in the league with 109 fouls suffered, reflecting how often his opponents struggled to contain him. Palestra also dominated in terms of physicality, sprinting the longest distance in Serie A (14.23 km) and ranking third for average acceleration distance.
In addition to all this, he also recorded a goal and four assists. The highlight of his season was in the match against Fiorentina, where he scored and assisted in the same match, something only a handful of Under-21 defenders have managed since Serie A expanded to 20 teams.
The modern full-backs are setting the tone
The flanks were some of the most interesting tactical spaces in the league this season. Dodô led the way in terms of attack, recording 86 touches in the opposition box, more than any other defender. Behind him, Davide Zappacosta and Mehmet Zeki Çelik were consistently dangerous in the final third. Marcus Pedersen and Wesley impressed with their driving runs from deep, while Alessandro Bastoni and Leonardo Spinazzola stood out for their frequent entries into the box, both reaching 63.
Defenders with an attacking flair
Juventus’ backline, especially, has had a major impact on their attacking flair. Gleison Bremer and Andrea Cambiaso both finished the season with seven goal contributions each, the highest among all defenders in Serie A.
Bremer scored four goals and secured three assists, continuing to dominate in aerial play with three headers. In fact, 16 of his 22 career Serie A goals have come from headers, more than any other defender since his debut in 2018/19.
Cambiaso had the most productive attacking season of his career by scoring the most personal goals in Serie A, with three goals and four assists. He also created more chances than any other defender in the league (55), showing just how influential he became going forward.
The defenders with a scoring touch
This season, several defenders proved to be genuine threats in front of goal.
Leo Østigård made history at Genoa with five goals, becoming the first centre-back in the club’s modern Serie A history to reach that figure in a single season. Across Europe’s top five leagues, only one other young defender managed to do the same.
Strahinja Pavlović also ended his season with five goals for AC Milan, becoming the first foreign centre-back in the club’s Serie A history to do so in a campaign. Allegri’s system brought out his attacking qualities, and he finished second among defenders for expected goals.
Wesley also reached the five-goal figure in a sensational debut season in Italy. Among defenders with five or more goals in Europe’s top leagues, only one is younger than the Brazilian star. He also significantly outperformed his expected goals tally by +3.52, finishing well above projections.
Just behind them sit Gianluca Mancini and Marc Oliver Kempf, who scored four goals each, all from headers. Mancini also made history in the Derby della Capitale, becoming the first defender to score twice in a Rome derby. Since 2017/18, he and Bremer have been the most prolific header-scoring defenders in Serie A. For Kempf, meanwhile, the four goals represent the best scoring return of his career in Europe’s top five leagues.
Aaron Martín and the art of the assist
Aaron Martín continued to impress as one of the league’s most creative full-backs. The Genoa defender finished with five assists, many of them coming from set pieces.
Genoa defender finished with five assists, many of them coming from set pieces.
Four of those assists came from Østigård, reflecting their strong and effective partnership. In recent seasons, only Federico Dimarco and Nico Paz have provided more assists in Serie A. Østigård was also ranked among the league’s top crossers with 213 deliveries from wide areas.
Building from the back
Build-up play from the back remains one of the key features of modern football, with some defenders taking on a central role in starting attacks.
Pierre Kalulu finished second in Serie A for completed passes with 2,309, behind only Manuel Locatelli. He was followed by Manuel Akanji, Oumar Solet, Jacobo Ramón, and Lloyd Kelly, all key figures in their teams’ build-up play and progression from defence. Lloyd Kelly featuring on this list highlights Juventus’ emphasis on building from the back.
The defensive specialists
Not all defenders aim to attack. Some made their mark the traditional way, by winning duels, clearing danger, and shutting down threats.
Victor Nelsson of Hellas Verona led the league in duels won (237), clearances (195), and aerial duels (154), highlighting his dominance in defensive situations. Lecce’s Tiago Gabriel, only born in 2004, followed closely behind across all those categories, 224 duels won, 183 clearances, and 152 aerial duels, showing impressive maturity for his age. Simone Canestrelli and Leo Østigård also stood out as reliable, physical presences in their boxes.
In terms of defensive awareness, Evan Ndicka led the league in ball recoveries (269), ahead of Oumar Solet (249) and Marin Pongračić (248).
Solet (187) also ranked highly for interceptions, alongside Filippo Terracciano (188), both excellent at reading danger early and breaking up attacks before they posed any serious threat.
The reemergence of long throw-ins
One of the less obvious but growing tactical trends this season was the use of long throw-ins in attack. Hellas Verona, in particular, used them as a crucial part of their play thanks to Martin Frese, who regularly delivered dangerous long throws into the box. He was closely followed by Simone Canestrelli and Alessandro Bastoni, highlighting how even small details are now being turned into structured attacking tools in modern football.
