Max Allegri proves who's the boss and other Tottenham and Juventus talking points

DON’T COUNT THE OLD LADY OUT

This was meant to be the final swansong for many members of this storied Juve squad.

Outrun and outmanoeuvred in the round-of-16 opener which saw them collapse from two goals ahead, a collection of players who’ve delivered six-successive Serie A titles had supposedly run a race too far.

As Spurs again burst out of the block in the second leg, the end seemed nigh. How wrong we all were.

The 33-year-old Giorgio Chiellini was the best player on the pitch, making the joint-most tackles (four), plus most clearances (13) and blocks (three). The 40-year-old Gianluigi Buffon was written off after the first leg, yet one save in particular from Son was outstanding.

The 34-year-old right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner emerged from the bench and had a huge hand in Higuain’s volley. Even derided 30-year-old Germany centre midfielder Khedira decisively stepped it up.

These veterans set the base for emerging Argentina forward Paulo Dybala to clinch it with a deadly shot when played clean through. There is still plenty of life in the Old Lady.

MASTER AND APPRENTICE

The contrast in hype surrounding the two men in the dugouts is glaring.

Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino is cast as the coming force in club management, his tactical fluidity and belief in attacking football attracting admiring glances across Europe.

For Juventus supremo Massimiliano Allegri, an air of reluctant acceptance often surrounds his sterling achievements. It could be linked to the way his AC Milan stint started with glory and then slowly disintegrated, or the fact he inherited a winning machine in Turin.

But these views do great disservice to the latter and overplay the achievements of the former.

Pochettino gets all the plaudits, but he has no trophies. Glaringly, this submission he oversaw is typical of the ‘Spursy’ nature so mocked by opposing fans.

It had echoes of the 2015/16 Premier League collapse to third-place in a two-horse race and the 4-2 loss to Chelsea in last term’s FA Cup semi-finals.

Allegri rose his troops off the ground at Wembley, decisively correcting his error to start veteran Andrea Barzagli at right-back by bringing on Lichtsteiner and ramping up the intensity when required.

His lauded opposite number can still only dream of making two of the last three Champions League finals and lifting nine major trophies.

SON SHINES THROUGH

Son Heung-min was the surprise name to miss out on manager Pochettino’s XI for the first leg in Turin, being granted just seven minutes off the substitutes’ bench.

The crafty forward’s fine performance on a disappointing Wednesday night should ensure there is no repetition of this oversight.

Of course, there was a huge slice of luck attached to his opener. His bobbled shot befuddled gnarled veteran Chiellini and denied Buffon a 50^th clean sheet in Europe’s premier club competition.

Yet you cannot under play the influence Son’s effervescent style and relentless pace.

He consistently caused chaos from his left-wing spot, especially when the exposed Barzagli was deployed at right-back.

But beyond this round-of-16 disappointment, headlined by Kane’s disappearing act with the least touches of anyone who played all 90 minutes, Son’s influence is staggering.

He’s now been directly involved in 22 goals in 23 run-outs at Wembley – 14 goals, eight assists.