Assessing Bayern Munich's Options to Replace David Alaba

Bayern Munich's 2-0 triumph over Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday was marred by some disturbing news from the treatment room, as it was revealed that David Alaba had suffered a knee injury that will see him sidelined for the foreseeable future.

The Bavarians qualified for the last 16 of Europe's elite club tournament, but in the post-match press conference, coach Pep Guardiola confirmed (via Goal.com) that the 22-year-old had sustained damage to his medial collateral ligament and that he does not expect Alaba to return to action before the Bundesliga's traditional winter break.

Guardiola praised the Austria international as a footballer who "can play nearly every position on the field." He will surely be missed, but Alaba's absence also offers opportunities for some of Bayern's fringe players and up-and-comers to assert themselves.

B/R has taken a look at the possibilities Guardiola has to replace Alaba; click "Begin Slideshow" for a full analysis.

Pierre Hojbjerg in Midfield

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

In May, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge quashed rumors that Pierre Hojbjerg may leave the club during the summer transfer window. In an interview with his club's official website, the ex-Germany international praised the midfielder as "hugely talented" and suggested he had a role to play in the team this term.

Despite injuries to Thiago Alcantara, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, however, Hojbjerg's minutes on the pitch have been very limited. And in October, the 19-year-old hinted to TZ (h/t Goal.com) that he could leave Bayern in search for more regular playing time. This season, he's only played 258 minutes, per Transfermarkt.

Alaba's injury may give Hojbjerg what he's been looking for. At 1.85 meters (6'1") tall, the Dane has the frame of a center-back. And his performance at right-back in the DFB-Pokal final in May showed he is more than capable of operating in a defensive role. His greatest qualities are technical, though, and he is absolutely comfortable taking on the duties of a central midfielder. The biggest challenge for him would be finding the balance that Alaba has found simultaneously playing in multiple positions.

Dante in Defense

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Pep Guardiola has generally preferred to use only two burly center-backs in his team as of late, but in Alaba's absence, he could bring Dante back into the lineup alongside Mehdi Benatia and Jerome Boateng.

The Brazilian hasn't been at his best since the World Cup, but he may be the best option for Guardiola from a defensive point of view. What he lacks in pace, he more than makes up for in terms of strength, size and aerial ability.

Despite his strengths, Dante is a very different type of player to Alaba. It would seem that he is more of a backup option in case other potential Alaba replacements are unable to settle.

Gianluca Gaudino in Midfield

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

There is the off chance that Guardiola may bring Gianluca Gaudino back into his first-team squad, although the odds of the 17-year-old playing are probably rather low.

The Hanau native is a big talent with tons of untapped potential and earned a fair bit of playing time during preseason and the early stages of the competitive campaign, but he has since been demoted to Bayern's under-19 team.

What Gaudino lacks at present is physical strength, the kind that may be acceptable for an attacking midfielder but not from a defensive player like Alaba. If he were reinstated to Guardiola's first team, it would most likely come in a central-midfield role and only if a more muscular option like Dante or Sebastian Rode were added to a back line that already includes Mehdi Benatia and Jerome Boateng.

Sebastian Rode in Midfield

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

When Alaba was forced off the pitch with 10 minutes left to play in Wednesday's match, Sebastian Rode came on as his replacement. The result was already decided and he had very little time to make his mark, but the fact that the 24-year-old was chosen bodes well for his chances of earning regular playing time.

Alaba's role as part left-back, part center-back, part central midfielder is one that Rode is perhaps more adaptable to than any of his teammates. His natural role is in the heart of midfield, but during his Frankfurt days he also played in central defense.

Although he cannot offer Alaba's pace and explosive burst of speed, Rode is a more developed athlete than Hojbjerg and Gaudino and can hold his own in a three-man defensive system. And going forward, he proved in preseason that he can be dangerous from distance and operating around the edge of the penalty area.