Gonzalo Higuain Defies Critics and Shows Kylian Mbappe the Way Ahead

Following the draw for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, Juventus versus AS Monaco was portrayed as defence against attack—the irresistible force of the Ligue 1 side's goalscoring prowess looking to find a way beyond the immovable object that is the rock-solid Italian defence.

While tapping into the old Catenaccio-inspired stereotype of the Bianconeri, there was certainly more than an element of truth to that portrayal. The Serie A giants had shut out both FC Porto and Barcelona in their first two knockout rounds, securing clean sheets in all four matches and conceding just two goals in Europe all season.

The last man to score past goalkeeper Gigi Buffon in the Champions League was Sevilla's Nico Pareja back in November, but Monaco—who had struck no fewer than 146 goals in all competitions—were expected to provide a stern test for this ageing side on Wednesday.

A niggling injury to Juan Cuadrado forced a late Juve reshuffle, with Andrea Barzagli drafted in at right-back as kick-off approached at the Stade Louis II. However, by the time the final whistle blew, the game had become a different battle, with the difference between the sides reflected not in attack versus defence but in comparing their two duelling strikers.

Gonzalo Higuain and Kylian Mbappe could not have started the evening with more juxtaposed reputations. The former is a 29-year-old star who has broken goalscoring records and won countless trophies yet is forever judged for his repeated failure in the most important matches.

Before this tie, Higuain had managed just two goals in the 24 Champions League knockout matches he had played, with his last coming for Real Madrid in 2013. Add in Higuain’s missed chances in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and two Copa America finals—shown in the video below—and the criticism does not seem so unfair.

"Higuain was never truly valued at Real Madrid, just like he has been lambasted in Argentina," Spanish football expert David Cartlidge told Bleacher Report. "He's seen as a black sheep and someone unable to be a killer in the area. He was derided in the Madrid press, and they jumped on him whenever he made a mistake."

That was unquestionably part of the reason he was sold to Napoli in 2013, and he also struggled to deal with expectation there too, sent off in a vital clash with Udinese just as the club were mounting a serious challenge to Juventus' title last season.

Last summer, he opted to join the Bianconeri in a €90 million transfer that saw him become a hate figure among fans of his former side. Since arriving in Turin, he has worked harder than ever before, netting crucial goals in big games—including four in four games against Napoli.

Yet even having scored 29 times in all competitions, the doubts continued to linger. The same certainly cannot be said of Mbappe, an 18-year-old starlet who has become one of the hottest transfer targets in the world.

According to a Guardian report by Fabrizio Romano and Jamie Jackson, Manchester United have already had a £72 million bid for the striker rejected by Monaco, with the club believing it can hold out for between £100 million and £125 million.

Lightning quick, he has 24 goals to his name this term, including five in four Champions League knockout ties against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. Could he be more different to Higuain?

"No one predicted just how good Mbappe would be this season," Ligue 1 expert Andrew Gibney told Bleacher Report. "Transforming in front of everyone from a tricky winger into a deadly centre-forward, he's become a genuine threat in every part of the pitch. Hopefully there is much more to come."

Frightening potential indeed, and having blossomed at Monaco before becoming a legend in Turin with the Old Lady, David Trezeguet was happy to compare the youngster to one of his most famous team-mates.

"I think he can become Thierry Henry's successor," Trezeguet told Le Parisien (h/t Goal). "He has it all. Time will tell in his case, but I like him very much.”

High praise indeed, and when the game between Juve and Monaco got underway, it seemed the two strikers were determined to live up to their pre-match reputations. The first promising move from the Bianconeri saw Paulo Dybala play Higuain in behind the defence, only for it to end in disaster as the latter fell over with the goal at his mercy

He then failed to connect with a cross from Dani Alves, then hooked a Miralem Pjanic corner away from danger rather than work the goalkeeper. Higuain's every touch merely serving to confirm the doubts that always plague him.

At the other end of the pitch, Mbappe was busy proving just what a live wire he is. Juve tried and failed to play him offside and were fortunate to see an early header directed straight at Buffon.

Before the game was 16 minutes old, Buffon had to make another sharp stop from Mbappe, who clearly won the admiration of Juve's veteran core. The goalkeeper shared some touching moments with him. And while speaking immediately after the match, Barzagli joined his growing legion of admirers.

"We studied Mbappe," the Italy defender told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia). "He is a devastating player. I've met some over the years, but at his age with that technique, physical strength, pace and, above all, his movements, because he changes things up and makes excellent movements off the ball. I've not seen someone like him."

However, if Monaco's star man wanted to see just how far he has to go to become truly feared, he could do worse than watching how Higuain shrugged off those early misses to decide the result.

A magnificent team move started in Juve's own half saw Claudio Marchisio and Dybala combine to release Alves down the right, and his backheel rolled perfectly into the path of Higuain. Bang—1-0.

Just like that, he dispatched the ball, looking quicker and more explosive than he had in the early going, but he wasn't done. In the second half, Dybala and Alves pressed up and won back the ball, with the latter floating a wonderful cross toward the far post that Higuain turned past the goalkeeper.

BORIS HORVAT/Getty Images

Two away goals and a clean sheet put Juventus in the driving seat in the tie and perhaps help to paint a more clear picture of how the two strikers reflect the stature and qualities of the teams they represent.

In the buildup to the game, Monaco and Mbappe were the rising force, the vibrant and carefree team of the future, while Higuain and the Bianconeri were the ageing stars who never truly deliver. No other side has lost as many Champions League finals (six).

After a 2-0 victory that could prove decisive, the former are clearly inexperienced and have much to learn, while Juventus and Higuain lent on their experience and savvy to secure a vital win away from home.

"Against Juventus, it was a game too far for Mbappe," Gibney told Bleacher Report. "Playing against the best defence in Europe, they were able to keep him at arm's length and nullify his supply line. It wasn't his or Monaco's night. But he will definitely have others."

He almost certainly will, and one good performance won't end the narrative that Higuain cannot perform when it matters most. It was a step in the right direction, however, and if he can help the Bianconeri end a 21-year wait for European glory, then he could answer even his biggest critics.