Now combining with lethal results for the Old Lady, Higuain and Dani Alves have long been enemies at international and club level
There was a time when Dani Alves and Gonzalo Higuain were rivals in La Liga. While the Brazilian played for Sevilla and then Barcelona, the Argentinian was leading the line for Real Madrid.
They first faced each other in March 2008 when El Pipita scored in the Merengues’ 3-1 victory against the Andalusian side. Fast forward nine years and they have both been playing vital roles for Italian giants Juventus throughout the 2016-17 campaign.
The duo were decisive during their Champions League semi-final first leg against Monaco with Alves assisting in both of Higuain’s goals in the 2-0 victory against the Ligue 1 side on Wednesday evening and the result gives La Vecchia Signora a huge advantage heading into next week’s second leg at home.
Initially their arrivals during the summer of 2016 would have raised a few eyebrows. The Brazilian right-back arrived on a free transfer from Barcelona and was perceived to be a has-been whereas the Argentine striker had the best season of his career and came to Turin after the Bianconeri paid Napoli a staggering €90 million.
Despite being a year older than fellow right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and spending December last year sidelined with injury, Alves has often started ahead of him for Juventus and he has demonstrated great energy and experience.
Higuain, on the other hand, has been much-maligned in his first season with the Bianconeri. Despite scoring 23 goals in 34 Serie A games so far this season, he endured spells in which he failed to score and his weight has also been a concern.
Until the Monaco match, he had scored just three times in nine Champions League games in 2016-17 and none throughout the knock-out stage, while his last goal in a Champions League knock-out fixture was for Real Madrid in a 3-0 victory against Galatasaray in April 2013.
It seemed that the Argentinian was going to continue his scoring drought in the competition after he slipped trying to receive a pass from Paulo Dybala and then a right-foot volley flashed across the Monaco goal when it would have been easier to score. Finally Higuain got on the scoresheet after 28 minutes and his former La Liga adversary was crucial in the build-up in the goal.
Claudio Marchisio chipped a pass to Dybala, who instantaneously back-heeled the ball in the path of Alves. The Juve wing-back centred to the Bianconeri centre-forward but he continued his run into the penalty area to receive Higuain’s though-ball. After shrugging off a defender, Alves made a back-heel of his own and Higuain ran into the box to strike the ball first time into the net.
The technique and team work was exquisite but the way Alves and Higuain combined was exceptional. Although this is their first season at Juve, it was like they had played together for years. Massimiliano Allegri’s team is known for its defensive prowess but the opening goal in Monte Carlo was a fine example of the Bianconeri’s offensive qualities.
That first goal also bore an uncanny resemblance to a Didier Deschamps goal from the 1994-95 Serie A when he ran onto a Roberto Baggio back-heel and smashed the ball into the net in a 4-0 victory against Parma which sealed the scudetto. Perhaps it is a sign of history repeating itself, laying the foundations for more Juve success.
Credit must also be given to Alves for the second goal as he won the ball in midfield, played a one-two with Dybala, and crossed the ball from the right flank to Higuain, who slid-in at the far post to put the ball past Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.
Thanks to the South American duo, Juventus are closer to reaching the Champions League Final in Cardiff, Wales on June 3. From being opponents in Spain and South America, Dani Alves and Higuain are now united on the field for the Bianconeri cause.
