Juventus Defender Martin Caceres Continues to Shine for the Bianconeri

After a summer which has seen unprecedented upheaval at Juventus, consistency has been difficult to find. A coaching change, a number of long-serving players moving on and injuries to key men have robbed some of the superiority from the Bianconeri.

Where the last two seasons had seen their dominance become somewhat predictable, the impact of former manager Antonio Conte's exit appeared to weaken the club. Add the failure to sign a big-name attacking player, and suddenly, the doubts began to grow; could this be the end of Juve's latest reign?

Those questions grew louder as closest rivals AS Roma strengthened significantly, and the dissenting voices rose to a crescendo following a mini-crisis of injuries in Turin. Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo were lost to knocks while Andrea Barzagli's calf continued to keep him out of the side.

Then the season began, and it was a very different-looking Juventus that started the 2014-15 campaign, yet a number of old faces remained as important as ever. Kingsley Coman—analysed in detail here—got them off to a winning start against Chievo before Carlos Tevez once again showed the Old Lady the way.

Having first dispatched Udinese, the Argentinean striker ended a five-year Champions League goal drought against Malmo. Netting twice, Tevez recorded his first strikes in the competition since April 2009, back when he was playing for Manchester United in the Premier League.

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Yet for the 30-year-old striker, it is simply a continuation of the fine form he displayed last term, a debut campaign in Italy which saw him net 19 times in Serie A. Tevez is not the only player to bring last year's excellence into the new season, however, and against Malmo, another South American did just the same.

Martin Caceres is perhaps the unsung hero of the past year in Turin, a player quietly and effectively showing all the qualities that once saw Barcelona spend €16.5 million on him, per their official website. While he may have failed to live up to expectations at Camp Nou, the defender is quickly becoming vital to Juventus.

Stepping into the side when Barzagli's injury problems first surfaced back in February, he has ensured the team has not missed the reliable Italian veteran. That is no easy task, with the former Palermo and Wolfsburg stopper becoming one of the world's finest defenders over recent years, as discussed here.

Before Juve's meeting with Hellas Verona on February 9, he had made just two league starts, but he would feature in all but three of his side's remaining games of the season. Where an aging Barzagli is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, Caceres appears to be simply unbreakable, playing with a fearlessness that is typical of the current Uruguay side.

Across 17 appearances in 2013-14, WhoScored.com shows he averaged 2.2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game. Those figures compare favourably with Barzagli's figures of 1.6, 1.7 and 2.9, respectively.

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It is not just at the defensive end where Caceres makes his contribution felt, however. The own goal awarded to Chievo's Francesco Bardi two weeks ago came directly from the Juve man's effort. He is extremely comfortable in possession, too, with WhoScored.com noting he completed 90.5 per cent of his passes last term.

That he averaged 61.4 passes per game is also noteworthy, placing him behind only Pirlo (69), Giorgio Chiellini (68.3) and Barzagli (64.3) at the club, per WhoScored.com. His calmness on the ball—like that of all his defensive colleagues—is essential to Juve's patient approach and intelligent possession-based style of play.

While that may change under current manager Massimiliano Allegri, Caceres has already turned in three excellent performances this term and seems set to be rewarded for his efforts. Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio revealed on Tuesday that the 27-year-old is set to be rewarded with a new contract.

His play over the past eight months has arguably made him Juve's most consistent performer, and he has certainly earned that extension, meaning Barzagli faces a battle to regain his place in the side once he returns to fitness.

With his socks pulled high over his knees, Martin Caceres has made that spot his own and will undoubtedly be willing to fight to keep it.