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Tag: Higuain

  • Higuain Juve deserve win most

    Higuain Juve deserve win most

    Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain believes that his side “deserve to win the Champions League most of all.”

    He will face his former side Real Madrid in Cardiff today, but there will be no sympathy for them from the 29-year-old.

    “I’m doing really well,” the Argentine told Tuttosport. “Why should I be excited? I’ve played in Europe for the past 11 years, so I’m well practiced in keeping my emotions in check.

    “I feel great affection for Napoli and Real, but it’s the past. We will do everything to win the trophy. I do not have a very good relationship with finals? Well if I score tomorrow, do not come looking for me …

    “In August we said this could be a magnificent vintage, and the right time has come. Allegri said he’ll play a great final? I hope so, it will be a tough game, beautiful. The whole team feels ready. it would be a beautiful dream, we deserve it most of all.”

  • Juve edge Monaco with Higuan’s double

    Juve edge Monaco with Higuan’s double

    Gonzalo Higuain’s double handed Juventus the advantage in their Champions League semi-final first leg with Monaco.

    Hoping to become the second Italian club to win the treble of domestic league, cup and European cup after Inter in 2009/10, the visitors were superb right from the off, and took a deserved lead 29 minutes in.

    The build-up play was sublime in the extreme, with Dani Alves impressively backheeling to set up Higuain to open the scoring. That was the Argentina international’s first Champions League knockout round goal since April 2013.

    Then, just before the hour mark the same pair combined to devastating effect to make it 2-0, with Higuain sliding the ball home after Alves had picked him out. Having never scored an away goal in the Champions League knockout stages before this first leg, Higuain now has two to his name.

    Monaco have scored 146 goals in all competitions this season, but even they couldn’t find a way through this impenetrable Juventus side, who have not conceded a goal in Europe’s premier competition in over 600 minutes. The tie is not over yet, but it will take an Herculean effort from the Principality club to secure a first Champions League final appearance since 2004.

    TALKING POINT

    Experience triumphs over youth. This Monaco side have won plenty of plaudits this season for their exhilarating football, but even goal machine Kylian Mbappe couldn’t find a way past the evergreen Gianluigi Buffon in the Juventus goal. The Old Lady’s back three had seen it all before, and marshalled the young hitman brilliantly. Even Cristiano Ronaldo might not be able to breach this most resolute rearguard.

    MAN OF THE MATCH

    Dani Alves. There were plenty of candidates for Juventus, but two wonderful assists from Alves earns him the award. The backheel for the first was sumptuous, while his cross from Higuain’s second was inch-perfect. Why on earth did Barcelona let him go?

    PLAYER RATINGS

    Monaco: Subasic 6, Dirar 6, Glik 6, Jemerson 5, Sidibe 4, Fabinho 5, Bakayoko 5, Silva 5, Lemar 5, Falcao 4, Mbappe 6… Subs: Moutinho 6, Germain 6, Toure N/A.

    Juventus: Buffon 8; Barzagli 7, Bonucci 8, Chiellini 7, Alex Sandro 7; Pjanic 8, Marchisio 7; Dani Alves 9, Dybala 8, Mandzukic 8; Higuain 8… Subs: Lemina N/A, Rincon 6, Cuadrado 6.

    KEY MOMENTS

    10’ – CHANCE! A sublime pass from Miralem Pjanic picks out Alves down the right, he volleys a cross in Gonzalo Higuain’s direction, but the Juve hitman cannot quite connect with the header.

    12’ – CHANCE! Chance of the game for the in-form Mbappe. Nabil Dirar picks up the clearance, finds Mbappe behind the last man, but he heads into Buffon’s hands totally unmarked!

    17’ – SAVE! He may be 40 in January, but he is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Superb stop from Gianluigi Buffon to keep out Mbappe’s goalbound effort. Great cross from Dirar again, Mbappe darted between defenders, flicked for goal, but Buffon was equal to it.

    26’ – CHANCE! From a corner, Giorgio Chielliniflicks the ball on, Higuain watches it onto his right foot, but gets the volley all wrong, slicing back across the face of goal and it is cleared.

    30’ – GOAL! Monaco 0-1 Juventus. Higuain with the finish, but the football was sublime from beginning to end. One of the best team goals you will see. Marchisio plays it into Dybala, who delightfully flicks the ball into path of Alves, who carries it into the box. The move looked set to break down as Alves couldn’t get the ball out of his feet, but the Brazilian superbly backheeled the ball into Higuain, who drilled into the bottom corner for his fourth Champions League goal of the season.

    47’ – CHANCE! Incredible start to the second half. Falcao really has to do better after being fed by Silva, but the Colombian’s effort is tame, and Buffon is down smartly to save. A yard either side of the veteran stopper and surely we would be level here.

    55’ – SAVE! Super stop from Subasic keeps this tie alive. Marchisio capitalised on a mistake from Sidibe before drilling an effort towards the bottom corner, but Subasic stuck out a leg to block. Fine reflex stop

    59’ – GOAL! Monaco 0-2 Juventus. After having never scored a goal away from home in a Champions League knockout tie, Higuain now has two. Game over? Same combination team up to make it two. Dybala stole the ball off the sleeping Bakayoko before feeding Alves. The Brazilian full-back had plenty to do, but floated a perfect cross over the Monaco defence right into the path of Higuain, who slid the ball home first time

    90′ – SAVE! Buffon shows great reactions to tip Germain’s header over the top. Great delivery from Moutinho again. Three minutes of added time here.

    KEY STATS

    Juventus, alongside Real Madrid, are the only unbeaten teams in this season’s Champions League (W8 D3).

    Juventus have kept six consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League for the first time.

    Monaco have conceded 18 goals in the Champions League this season; more than any other team among the remaining semi-finalists.

  • Higuain set for Napoli stay

    Gonzalo Higuain has insisted he is “very happy” at Napoli, despite reported interest from Barcelona.

    Argentina striker Higuain is set to play in his country’s FIFA World Cup semi-final against Netherlands on Wednesday after scoring the winning goal in their last-eight victory over Belgium.

    The 26-year-old enjoyed a superb first season in Serie A following his move from Real Madrid last year, and new Barca coach Luis Enrique had been said to be keen to take him back to Spain.

    Higuain’s countryman and Barca superstar Lionel Messi has publicly admitted he would love to join up with the forward at club level, although it appears that the Liga club are on the verge of signing Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

    And, in quotes reported by tuttomercatoweb.com, Higuain indicated he is settled in Naples.

    “I am really grateful to Leo [Messi] for his kind words but I have a contract with Napoli that makes me very happy,” he is reported to have said.

    “Napoli has always treated me very well since I arrived there.”

  • Higuain never doubted goalscoring ability

    Higuain never doubted goalscoring ability

    Gonzalo Higuain revealed he knew he would rediscover his goalscoring touch after his match-winning strike against Belgium on Saturday.

    The striker failed to find the back of the net in Argentina’s first four games at the FIFA World Cup, but was on target with a fine finish in the eighth minute of Saturday’s quarter-final at Estadio Nacional.

    Higuain’s early goal proved to be decisive as Alejandro Sabella’s men secured a 1-0 victory to set up a semi-final against the Netherlands in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

    The Napoli man, who also struck the crossbar in the second half after a fine run, never doubted his ability to get on the scoresheet on the biggest stage of all as Argentina strive to be crowned world champions for the first time since 1986.

    “I wasn’t getting desperate about scoring because I knew I was going to get a goal sooner or later,” said Higuain.

    “Obviously I’m very happy, especially with this being such a historically important win for Argentina.

    “They’ve been asking me since day one when the goal was going to come and I’ve always given them the same answer: ‘I’m working on it’.”

    There were concerns that the former Real Madrid frontman would be ruled out of the tournament after suffering an ankle injury playing for Napoli, so the 26-year-old is relishing the opportunity to play his part in Brazil.

    He said “It’s not been an easy situation for me. I very nearly didn’t make it to the World Cup at all, but fortunately everything has worked out and I’ve been able to get that goal.”

  • Arsenal’s Higuain talks at ‘advanced stage’

    onzalo Higuain’s father has alerted Juventus that “nothing has yet been signed” with Arsenal, but talks are at an “advanced stage”.

    Higuain Sr played down suggestions that personal terms, worth a reported £130,000-per week, have already been agreed, but said the two parties are close to reaching a deal.

    Arsenal are ready to pay a club record fee in the region of £22 million for the Real Madrid striker, who is also coveted by the Serie A champions.

    “Nothing has yet been signed, but I can assure the negotiations between the clubs are at an advanced stage,” Jorge Higuain told La Repubblica.

    “We will not agree any contract before the clubs reach a deal on the transfer. I am sure Arsenal made a big offer, as have Juventus.”

    Read the original article on Football Italia – The ultimate website for English-speaking fans of Italian football.