Why Stephan Lichtsteiner Is the Unsung Hero for Juventus so Far This Season

Upon arriving in Turin, Massimiliano Allegri was given little chance to improve upon the results delivered by his predecessor.

Three consecutive league titles, an undefeated season and a record Serie A points haul last term made following in Antonio Conte’s footsteps an unenviable task.

While debate over whether the tweak in formation and progress in the Champions League will continue, any perceived success for the new coach will only be determined at the end of the campaign.

Yet Allegri is not the only man in Turin walking in the shadow of greatness; many of the current Bianconeri squad are compared to the legends whose positions they now fill.

Carlos Tevez has seemingly never struggled with the pressure of wearing the No. 10 shirt, despite the inevitable mentions of Alessandro Del Piero. It is the same for Stephan Lichtsteiner, a player who has not only been deployed in a right-back role once occupied by the likes of Lillian Thuram and Sergio Brio but has also filled a long-standing void there.

Following the retirement of Ciro Ferrara and Thuram’s subsequent move into the centre of defence, a string of sub-standard players failed to impress there for Juventus. Cristian Zenoni, Jonathan Zebina and Zdenek Grygera were collectively poor, while Marco Motta was a complete disaster following his €5 million move in 2010.

It was in an attempt to end this malaise that Beppe Marotta signed Lichtsteiner, paying €10 million to Lazio to secure the "Swiss Express." It has proven to be one of the director general’s best signings, such have been the consistently excellent standards set by the now-30-year-old defender over the last three seasons.

He may not have the star power of Tevez, Paul Pogba or Arturo Vidal, but he has been every bit as important in the success enjoyed by the Bianconeri.

Able to play as either a wing-back in the 3-5-2 or an orthodox full-back in a four-man defence, Lichtsteiner has been one of the most reliable members of the team during the club’s recent dominant run.

He admitted in a recent interview with Juventus TV (h/t Football Italia) that he finds it "a bit easier" in a back four, noting he feels less isolated and "better protected" in the new shape. The performances of both Lichtsteiner and the team have benefited from that change as he has once again dominated the right flank.

Averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game according in Serie A, according to statistics from WhoScored.com, the former Lille man has also weighed in with two goals and four assists.

Injuries to Martin Caceres and new signing Romulo have left Allegri with few chances to rest him, yet his quality has continued to shine.

Never a prolific creator of goals—his previous best single-season tally for assists was two—he laid on eight goals last term, his crossing becoming a major weapon for the Bianconeri. The presence of Fernando Llorente gave him a target to aim for, and he repeatedly picked out the 6'5" Spaniard in the opposition penalty area.

In the current campaign, he has learned to provide for others, laying on goals for Tevez and Alvaro Morata as well as Llorente thanks to his increasingly accurate passing. Stats from the official Juventus website show he has completed 25 percent of all his crosses this term, creating 14 clear goalscoring opportunities for his team-mates.

In addition, last season he connected on just 78.3 per cent of his pass attempts and WhoScored shows that not only has that improved to 80.3 percent this term, but he also raises his game when the competition is at its most difficult.

In the Champions League his completion rate rises to 84.9 percent, while he also makes more tackles (1.7) and passes (54.2) per game than in domestic action.

It is those small yet significant improvements that will help La Madama progress in Europe, and Lichtsteiner is set to be rewarded for his stellar play. With his current deal set to expire in June, respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported the agreement of a new three-year contract that will see the player earn around €3 million per season.

Now not only an unsung hero for Juventus but arguably one of the best right-backs in the world, Stephan Lichtsteiner has earned every penny of it.