Forget Pogba - Juventus must resolve Tevez future

COMMENT: It was a different type of performance from Wednesday's memorable win, but the Argentine again showed his importance with his deal set to expire next year

By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent
It was a real case of ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ for Juventus as they disposed of Genoa 1-0 in Turin following their Champions League heroics of Wednesday night, yet Carlos Tevez was in no mood to take things easy as he again proved to be the Bianconeri’s most important player.

Four days after his starring performance in the magnificent second-leg win at Borussia Dortmund, the 31-year-old made the difference in an altogether more languid Juve performance.
Yet, despite his value to the team, Tevez's contract expires in little over a year's time.
Between now and the end of the season Juve will want to waste as little domestic energy as possible as they turn their focus towards European success. A near-unassailable Serie A lead and a favourable quarter-final tie against Monaco have combined to bring their campaign into focus.
Their 24-goal top scorer is making all the difference. His third-minute strike at Signal Iduna Park provided the cushion they needed in the Champions League and on Sunday it was his magnificent strike off the underside of the crossbar which allowed Juve to dictate the pace against Genoa.
Juve had been under the microscope defensively for the previous 10 minutes, with Claudio Marchisio lucky not to concede a penalty for a foul on Diego Perotti, but Tevez was the man to stand up and be counted.

He could have added another from the penalty spot in the second half following Facundo Roncaglia’s foul on Roberto Pereyra, but his side-foot effort was saved by substitute keeper Eugenio Lamanna. It mattered not as things turned out, with the Apache having already had the final say.

"Today was the toughest game after an important run of fixtures. We knew we’d have to dig deep," Juve defender Giorgio Chiellini said afterwards. "Tevez has been a leader since the day he came here, with his words and behaviours." 

With such a leader in their ranks, Juventus are afforded the opportunity to canter through afternoons like this. They can play in first gear for 90 minutes, let their minds wander towards European spotlights and occasionally feed balls for Tevez to do his stuff. He is their go-to man. He also now has a goalscoring record not matched for Juventus since David Trezeguet hit 29 in all competitions in 2005-06.

Massimiliano Allegri changed their shape back to a 3-5-2, just as he had in Palermo a week prior, bringing Andrea Barzagli in for another start on his long road back to fitness. The coach was rewarded late on when the Italy centre-half made a crucial tackle at the far post as Genoa briefly threatened to put a mild dampener on Juve spirits.
They have now collected twice as many as Roma’s 14 points in 2015 to extend their advantage over Rudi Garcia’s men to 17 with 10 games to play. The Scudetto race was over some weeks ago. It is all about the Champions League from now on and their maximum points from minimum effort on Sunday provided a real blueprint for the remainder of the campaign.

The problem now facing Juve is that of keeping Tevez at the club beyond his contract, which runs out in the June 2016. The Bianconeri have been distracted by the constant talk of Paul Pogba's future - yet his deal has more than four years left and any exit would be forced by a mammoth transfer fee.

"We are celebrating a win without Pogba," Juve Director General Giuseppe Marotta noted afterwards. "That says to me that the team is crucial even if the player is important."

"I haven't spoken with Carlos about his contract, but I have to give him praise for what he is doing," coach Allegri added somewhat pointedly. "He has great technical ability. The difference between regular players and great ones is shown by their movement on the field."
As such, more movement like this from Tevez will be key between now and May. And if the Bianconeri go on to reach the Champions League semi-finals or better, the question of keeping the Argentine beyond his current contract - which expires in June 2016 - will undoubtedly be raised once more. Juve must do what they can to keep their most important player.