Alaba injury reduces Bayern's options

FC Bayern München's David Alaba will be sidelined for the next seven weeks after partially rupturing knee ligaments playing for Austria. This does not help Josep Guardiola's plans.

"Of course I am really down now," said the 22-year-old Alaba, injured during his country's 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday. "But I have one big goal ahead: I want to be back for the decisive last weeks of the season. I will recover well and then give it full throttle in rehab."

Alaba is a midfielder and provider for Austria, but only recently has he taken this position with Bayern. "He is a left-back, even if he himself does not think so," former Bayern boss Louis van Gaal once said, shortly after handing Alaba his debut in 2010. His successor Jupp Heynckes agreed, teaming him up with Franck Ribéry to forge one of the strongest left flanks in Europe, helping the club land a famous treble in 2013.

Given the rarity of elite left-backs, it seemed like folly for Bayern to even consider deploying Alaba anywhere else, but coach Guardiola has a special place in his heart for versatile players. Rated as a world-class full-back, Philipp Lahm – at 31 – has spent much of the past two campaigns in a new midfield role. Alaba's flexibility has been exploited even more thoroughly.

At FC Barcelona, Guardiola tended towards a 4-3-3 formation, yet often fielded a back three with a ball-playing central defender. Thus, it is no surprise that he has often opted for a three-man rearguard at Bayern. However, his experiments this term have been even more ambitious, baffling pundits and opponents alike.

This season, observers have noted a range of systems utilised: 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, 3-6-1, 3-4-3, 4-4-2, 4-1-4-1. Alaba has been crucial, operating as central midfielder, left-back, central defender and winger, willing and able to switch position during matches and still impress. "He can play everywhere," Guardiola said of Alaba. "He always performs. He always reaches eight, nine or ten out of ten."

Without him, Bayern are nowhere near as flexible. Guardiola has plenty of other absentees already: Javi Martínez (cruciate ligaments), Arjen Robben (stomach), Franck Ribéry (ankle) and Thiago Alcántara (lack of fitness). However, Alaba creates a gap so idiosyncratic that perhaps no one can fill it.