Champions League: Why Monaco Goal Proves Juventus Still Need Arturo Vidal

It hasn't been a vintage season for Arturo Vidal. Injury issues haven't been enough to keep him off the field—he's started 20 times in the league and come off the bench on four occasions—but they have taken their toll on his ability to influence games. 

Last campaign, Vidal scored 18 times in all competitions. That's just three fewer than Carlos Tevez managed, despite the Chilean being a midfielder. So far this season, he's bagged just seven. But when he took the ball from Tevez to take and convert Juventus' penalty against Monaco on Tuesday night, he reminded us all of something integral to his game: his unwavering self-belief.

There were reports earlier in the year, such as this one from the Express' Ben Jefferson, that the Bianconeri were willing to take a cut-price deal on the injury-prone "ticking time bomb." There was some concern about the severity of his problem, but there's no doubt that the anxiety gave way to hyperbole. You don't just write off a 27-year-old athlete—especially not one as talented and as determined as Vidal. 

Juve had had the lion's share of opportunities against Monaco, and Vidal had already seen a shot of his own fly over the bar before he stepped up to take the penalty in the 57th minute. Ricardo Carvalho's tackle on Alvaro Morata would later prove to be controversial, but there was nothing contentious about the way Vidal drove his shot past Danijel Subasic. It was exactly the kind of goal he needed to get the monkey off his back. 

For the rest of the game, he looked like a player reborn. We've seen flashes of Vidal's best this season, but this was a game where the dogged, relentless battler of old returned to the fore. At times, it looked like he was capable of winning the game solo, just through sheer force of will. 

Speaking to the Sky Sport Italia after the game, here in English via football-italia.net, he said: 

"

When I saw the ball go over [from his earlier shot] I felt tense, but I looked up and saw my wife, so she gave me more confidence to carry on. The ball bobbled, but for some reason I’m missing chances that I never used to. Now I’ve scored, I hope to feel more confident.

It’s normal to feel a little scared in a quarter-final against a team that did so well in the first leg against Arsenal. We were worried at leaving spaces behind us, but in the end we got there.

[Then for the penalty] I felt confident, so I asked Carlitos for the ball and then I scored. We don’t have a first choice penalty taker, it’s whoever feels most up to it will take it

"

Sounds simple, but there must have been huge pressure involved in taking the ball from Serie A's current capocannoniere and Juve's most reliable goalscorer. It's not the kind of strain that most players would invite upon themselves—especially not in a Champions League quarter-final. And that's what makes Vidal special. 

"

This picture of Arturo Vidal & Andrea Pirlo celebrating last night's goal is just superb. Bravo @juventusfcen! pic.twitter.com/zWxVuGMGwC

— Adam Digby (@Adz77) April 15, 2015"

Not only is the Chilean one of the world's best all-round midfielders, but he's also a natural leader and the kind of footballer that managers can rely on to take control of games.

Yes, Paul Pogba keeps getting better, and yes, there might come a day when the young Frenchman is so good that Juve will only need one dynamic, goal-scoring inspiration in midfield. But that day hasn't come yet.

Arturo Vidal is still a priceless part of the Juve setup, and selling him would be a step back for the Bianconeri.