The location is Maracaibo in Venezuela. It’s 2007 and Argentina are in this hotel because they are competing in the Copa America. One in which they will cruise to the final, start as favourites but be whipped by Brazil. From the macro to the micro. We are in Juan Sebastian Veron room and it’s already well past midnight. It’s a sizeable ‘habitación’ and the bed has been moved. Anyone next door or in the floor below can forget sleep — but not because of loud rock and roll, not because of a telly being thrown out of the window, nor because the lads have snuck co-eds into the room. Carlos Tevez scores Juventus's second goal in their 3-0 winner over Lazio on Saturday . Tevez (right) celebrates his goal which capped another impressive display from the Argentine . Tevez avoids the challenge of Lazio's Stefan De Vrij during Saturday's Serie A clash . Verón, Lionel Messi, Roberto Abbondanzieri and Carlos ‘Apache’ Tevez are playing two-a-side foot-volley using the bed in the middle of the room as a net and the competition is not only fierce it’ll go on for hours yet. Interestingly Verón, then very much the Padrino of that entire squad, chose Tevez as his playing partner, not the infinitely gifted Messi. ‘It’s a memory I’ll never forget,’ Verón now admits. ‘Beyond his technical ability, Carlos possesses the mentality of a champion. ‘He’ll stand back up again every time you try to knock him down.’ Which is probably no bad thing. Since 2007, Tevez has racked up trophies, just like Messi. But the latter has gone on to dominate the football world, or at least do galactic battle with Cristiano Ronaldo, while Tevez’s 11 trophies have not gained him the same respect or adoration. In fact, he has been mired in controversy and opprobrium. Till now. During the week he made his return to the Argentina squad — from which his country’s media largely think he has been excluded because of bad feeling between him and Messi. Perhaps a disputed point in room 427 in Maracaibo. Perhaps some more of football’s ‘this town ain’t big enough for the both of us’. Or perhaps fiction. Tevez waves to fans as he takes his place on the bench for Argentina at former club West Ham . Tevez shoots at goal during Argentina's 2-1 victory over Croatia at Upton Park last week . Tevez made his return to the national team for the first time in three years . The fact remains that Tevez finds himself at Juve because United didn’t rate him sufficiently highly to pay a fee which is still disputed (figures range from £30-40million) and because he then fell out spectacularly with Roberto Mancini at Manchester City. By the way, January 6, 2015, is the date for those of you who like schadenfreude — Juventus (Tevez) v Inter (Mancini) in Torino. Book now to avoid disappointment. Juve are in position to win their fourth consecutive Scudetto but, for one reason or another, their return to national dominance hasn’t seen a rise in their competitive ability in European terms. New coach Maxi Allegri admits: ‘When I took over, president Agnelli told me something which impacted. He said: “It’s impossible to win every year but we must be in contention for everything when March comes around". We need to think as little as possible about the fact that this is our chance to win four Scudetti on the bounce and concentrate on our primary objective which is to ensure that we get through the Champions League group stage.' Winning the Champions League this year seems a big ask, although on paper this is a squad which, if it was fully firing, should theoretically ask questions of any team. Juventus captain Gianluca Vialli (centre) holds Champions League trophy after victory over Ajax in 1996 . Roberto Mancini and Tevez (right) celebrate winning the Premier League in 2012 . Tevez and Mancini fell out and it led to the striker leaving Manchester City for Juventus . Tevez and his Manchester United team-mates celebrate winning the Premier League in 2009 . But the drive is to be properly Euro-muscular in time to lift the Coppa with the big ears 20 years on from the last time (in 1996) and the question is: Exactly where are they? To begin with they are in Sweden this week, facing Malmö in a Group A position where — while a defeat won’t eliminate them — a win seems vital to their progress. Step forward Tevez? Verón says: ‘He’s playing the best football of his life and in this club he seems to have found a new Boca Juniors (the club to which Carlitos swears undying allegiance). I can see it in his eyes.’ All fine and dandy. But as he showed two weeks ago in the 7-0 demolition of Parma with a brace, one of which was both Messi-esque and utterly sublime, Tevez needs to be Juve’s ‘extra’ element. To lift them. Thus far in all his European competition experience, at West Ham, Manchester United, City and Juventus he has managed a measly nine goals in 53 appearances. For the Old Lady of Italian football it needs to be Apache time. Vamos Carlitos.
Juan Sebastian Veron says Carlos Tevez is in form of his life for Juventus .
Tevez's form saw him recalled to Argentina squad last week .
Juventus on course to win fourth straight Italian title but club are still struggling to make mark in Champions League .
Tevez scored in Juventus' 3-0 win over Lazio on Saturday .
The location is Maracaibo in Venezuela. It’s 2007 and Argentina are in this hotel because they are competing in the Copa America. One in which they will cruise to the final, start as favourites but be whipped by Brazil. From the macro to the micro. We are in Juan Sebastian Veron room and it’s already well past midnight. It’s a sizeable ‘habitación’ and the bed has been moved. Anyone next door or in the floor below can forget sleep — but not because of loud rock and roll, not because of a telly being thrown out of the window, nor because the lads have snuck co-eds into the room. Carlos Tevez scores Juventus's second goal in their 3-0 winner over Lazio on Saturday . Tevez (right) celebrates his goal which capped another impressive display from the Argentine . Tevez avoids the challenge of Lazio's Stefan De Vrij during Saturday's Serie A clash . Verón, Lionel Messi, Roberto Abbondanzieri and Carlos ‘Apache’ Tevez are playing two-a-side foot-volley using the bed in the middle of the room as a net and the competition is not only fierce it’ll go on for hours yet. Interestingly Verón, then very much the Padrino of that entire squad, chose Tevez as his playing partner, not the infinitely gifted Messi. ‘It’s a memory I’ll never forget,’ Verón now admits. ‘Beyond his technical ability, Carlos possesses the mentality of a champion. ‘He’ll stand back up again every time you try to knock him down.’ Which is probably no bad thing. Since 2007, Tevez has racked up trophies, just like Messi. But the latter has gone on to dominate the football world, or at least do galactic battle with Cristiano Ronaldo, while Tevez’s 11 trophies have not gained him the same respect or adoration. In fact, he has been mired in controversy and opprobrium. Till now. During the week he made his return to the Argentina squad — from which his country’s media largely think he has been excluded because of bad feeling between him and Messi. Perhaps a disputed point in room 427 in Maracaibo. Perhaps some more of football’s ‘this town ain’t big enough for the both of us’. Or perhaps fiction. Tevez waves to fans as he takes his place on the bench for Argentina at former club West Ham . Tevez shoots at goal during Argentina's 2-1 victory over Croatia at Upton Park last week . Tevez made his return to the national team for the first time in three years . The fact remains that Tevez finds himself at Juve because United didn’t rate him sufficiently highly to pay a fee which is still disputed (figures range from £30-40million) and because he then fell out spectacularly with Roberto Mancini at Manchester City. By the way, January 6, 2015, is the date for those of you who like schadenfreude — Juventus (Tevez) v Inter (Mancini) in Torino. Book now to avoid disappointment. Juve are in position to win their fourth consecutive Scudetto but, for one reason or another, their return to national dominance hasn’t seen a rise in their competitive ability in European terms. New coach Maxi Allegri admits: ‘When I took over, president Agnelli told me something which impacted. He said: “It’s impossible to win every year but we must be in contention for everything when March comes around". We need to think as little as possible about the fact that this is our chance to win four Scudetti on the bounce and concentrate on our primary objective which is to ensure that we get through the Champions League group stage.' Winning the Champions League this year seems a big ask, although on paper this is a squad which, if it was fully firing, should theoretically ask questions of any team. Juventus captain Gianluca Vialli (centre) holds Champions League trophy after victory over Ajax in 1996 . Roberto Mancini and Tevez (right) celebrate winning the Premier League in 2012 . Tevez and Mancini fell out and it led to the striker leaving Manchester City for Juventus . Tevez and his Manchester United team-mates celebrate winning the Premier League in 2009 . But the drive is to be properly Euro-muscular in time to lift the Coppa with the big ears 20 years on from the last time (in 1996) and the question is: Exactly where are they? To begin with they are in Sweden this week, facing Malmö in a Group A position where — while a defeat won’t eliminate them — a win seems vital to their progress. Step forward Tevez? Verón says: ‘He’s playing the best football of his life and in this club he seems to have found a new Boca Juniors (the club to which Carlitos swears undying allegiance). I can see it in his eyes.’ All fine and dandy. But as he showed two weeks ago in the 7-0 demolition of Parma with a brace, one of which was both Messi-esque and utterly sublime, Tevez needs to be Juve’s ‘extra’ element. To lift them. Thus far in all his European competition experience, at West Ham, Manchester United, City and Juventus he has managed a measly nine goals in 53 appearances. For the Old Lady of Italian football it needs to be Apache time. Vamos Carlitos.
micro. We are in Juan Sebastian Veron room and into the room. Carlos Tevez scores Juventus's second goal in their 3-0 winner over Lazio on return to the Argentina squad — from which his Park last week . Tevez made his return to the disappointment. Juve are in position to win their fourth consecutive Scudetto but, for one reason Vialli (centre) holds Champions League trophy says: ‘He’s playing the best football of his life