Breaking Down Carlos Tevez's Performance for Juventus vs. Real Madrid

Tuesday night saw Juventus make their return to the last four of the UEFA Champions League, taking part in a semi-final for the first time since 2003. That they would do so against Real Madrid—the same side who stood in their way 12 years earlier—only added to the feeling that the Bianconeri had come full circle.

Rather than seeing it as an accomplishment however, the club retained the hunger that has come to typify them throughout their history, with Massimiliano Allegri insisting his men could advance past the Spanish giants.

"We have to make the final, in the knowledge that we are not a surprise package at this point,” the coach told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia). “Nobody would have imagined that Juventus would be in a Champions League semi-final, but we’re aware of what we can do, and it has to be that way.”

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Clinching their fourth consecutive Serie A title last weekend, Juventus had proven they were a team of genuine quality, but there was little doubt that Real Madrid were the team with the star names. The sums paid for likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale dwarves any fee ever paid by the Italian champions, yet one man in black and white has matched their impact.

For all the talk surrounding Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba, it is Carlos Tevez who so often makes the difference for the Turin-based club. Since leaving Manchester City for just £10 million back in June 2013, the Argentinian has proven to be an incredible acquisition, continually delivering consistently excellent performances.

If they were to have any hope of overcoming Carlo Ancelotti’s men in this tie, they would need the 31-year-old to do so once again, and he would not disappoint when the first leg got underway. The game was barely a minute old when he first made his presence felt, harassing Iker Casillas into a poor clearance that led to a chance that Vidal should probably have done better with.

It was an example of the tenacity that has always been a hallmark of Tevez’s play, and there would not be a long wait for a second. Collecting the ball from Claudio Marchisio, the striker made his way into the box and fired in a low, powerful shot that the goalkeeper could only parry into the path of Alvaro Morata.

The Madrid-born youngster tapped home the simplest of chances in the ninth minute, and while Tevez will not be credited with an assist, his skill and effort undoubtedly created the game’s opening goal. With less than 20 minutes played, he would again threaten Casillas, narrowly missing the bottom corner after a great run and pull-back from Stefano Sturaro.

Ronaldo would net an inevitable equaliser with just under half an hour played, leading to a brief period in which Juventus looked nervous for the first time, an obvious backheel by Tevez in the centre circle easily intercepted by Sergio Ramos.

Allegri would regather their collective focus during the break, and shortly after the second half began, Tevez cut in from the left and curled another effort goal bound. Minutes later he would embark on a smart run towards the box only to be nudged off the ball just as the move began to show promise.

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Real Madrid would earn a corner shortly before the hour mark, and from it Juventus launched a blistering counter-attack. Morata charged up field with his strike partner keeping pace against two defenders, only for Marcelo to bundle over his former team-mate, but the ball rolled kindly to Tevez.

He burst into the box, but before he could shoot, he was clumsily bundled over by Dani Carvajal, leaving Martin Atkinson to make an easy penalty decision. The referee was surrounding by protesting players from both sides, with Vidal being booked in the aftermath before Marcelo was also cautioned.

Waiting for calm to be restored, Tevez patiently waited to take the spot-kick and—after a major delay—blasted a powerful effort into the back of the net. It took his tally for Juventus to 50 goals in just 92 appearances, and his play would rise to an even higher level after an emphatic celebration.

A neat flick sent Patrice Evra free down the left flank, the French defender earning a corner as a result of his former Manchester United team-mate’s skill. He would work hard to stem Real Madrid’s attacking forays as the game petered out, eventually replaced by Roberto Pereyra with 86 minutes on the clock.

Statistics from WhoScored.com highlight just how much effort he had put in, showing Tevez took five shots—with three on target—made two key passes, was fouled three times and completed 36 passes.

“Tevez is a champion and a really great professional,” Evra told ITV Sport at full time (h/t Football Italia). “I was really pleased to see him again and he’s had a fantastic year. I’m really pleased for Carlitos.”

It was a display that pleased anyone connected to the Bianconeri, and Juventus will need Carlos Tevez to do the same again next week.