Unbreakable Backlines: The best defensive records ever in Europe’s top five leagues

Successful sides are built on the bedrock of a backline, with the old adage that attacks win games and defences win titles.

AS Roma boast the best defensive record in Europe this season and have conceded just 13 goals in 22 league games. The Serie A side are aiming to join this list of the best defensive records in a top-five league season.

La Liga begin our countdown of resolute rearguards, with two Spanish sides starting off the list. Deportivo La Coruna conceded just 18 goals during the 1993/94 campaign, with goalkeeper Francisco Liano setting a record for the most clean sheets (26) in a single season.

Despite their defensive record, ‘Super Depor’ missed out on the title in the cruellest of fashions. A goalless draw against Valencia, which saw Miroslav Dukic spurn a last-minute penalty, saw title rivals Barcelona claim the championship on head-to-head record. The result denied Os brancoazuis their first-ever La Liga crown.

Depor’s 18-goal record was matched 22 years later by Atletico Madrid . Diego Simeone’s stubborn side shipped only 18 goals all season, but, like Depor before them, ended the season as runners-up to Barcelona .

Incredibly, Atletico’s 2015/16 record did not even see them lead Europe’s top five leagues for the fewest goals conceded that year. Bayern Munich bettered their record, after conceding just 17 times on route to the Bundesliga title.

It was Pep Guardiola’s final campaign in charge of the German giants, sealed with a customary league title. Bayern were head and shoulders above their competition domestically, ending the campaign 10 points clear of Borussia Dortmund .

AC Milan ’s iconic side of the early nineties boasted some of the best defenders ever to grace the game. Mauro Tassotti, Franco Baresi , Alessandro Costacurta and Paulo Maldini kept opposition attackers at bay during a period in which Serie A housed the world’s best.

The Rossoneri rearguard let in just 15 goals, winning the Scudetto despite scoring just 36 goals - only one more than relegated Atalanta and Udinese. A dream season ended with Champions League success, beating Barcelona 4-0 in the final. That European triumph was also driven by the club’s defence, as Fabio Capello’s side conceded just twice in 12 games.

Chelsea matched Milan’s feat in 2004/05, as Jose Mourinho made an immediate impact in the Premier League . The ‘Special One’ arrived in West London that summer and led Chelsea to a first top-flight title in 50 years.

Following their record-breaking defensive feat, Chelsea captain John Terry was named PFA Player of the Year. It remains the best defensive record in a top-five league season this century.

Cagliari hold the record for the fewest goals conceded in a single season, across Europe’s top five leagues. The Italian outfit made history in 1968/70, upsetting the traditional northern powerhouses of Serie A to claim the Scudetto.

Their success was built on a water-tight defence that let in only 11 goals in 30 games. Manilo Scopigno’s side lost just twice all season, and ended the campaign four points clear of Inter Milan .

Six of the title-winning squad were called up by Italy for that summer’s World Cup, where the Azzurri finished as runners-up.