A stunning Dani Alves volley helped Juventus stroll into their second Champions League final in three years on Tuesday as a 2-1 win on the night completed a 4-1 aggregate victory over outclassed Monaco.
Brazilian wing-back Alves’s 25-yard strike followed Mario Mandzukic’s opener for the treble-chasing Italian champions as any semblance of a contest was snuffed out by half-time.
Teenage superstar Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back for the principality club after the break, his sixth of the competition.
But there was never any realistic prospect of them threatening to overturn a 2-0 deficit from last week’s first leg.
It will be the ninth time Juventus, runners-up in 2015, have contested the final of Europe’s elite club competition.
Here we take an in-depth look at two of the key protagonists.
Goals – 0
Shots – 3
Shots on target – 1
Touches – 52
Key passes – 1
Dribbles – 3
Dispossessed – 6
Aerials won – 1
Goals – 0
Shots – 1
Shots on target – 0
Touches – 28
Key passes – 0
Dribbles – 0
Dispossessed – 1
Aerials won – 0
The 29-year-old is one of the world’s premier No9’s but he didn’t showcase that tonight. For how good his finishing was in Monaco, you would have expected him to finish the opportunities which came his way at the Juventus Stadium.
But it’s a real tactical masterclass from boss Max Allegri to get the best from him because the 3-4-2-1 leaves them so secure in midfield, it takes all the pressure off Higuain to press the ball.
With Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic in behind as well he had immediate support all night and both of them provided him with two openings, which while they weren’t clear cut, he could have done better with.
On another night, his finishing could have cost them but he did create the space in order to fashion the chances in the first place and this team is set-up to find him – his former employers Real Madrid will be wary of that should they get through in the other semi-final.
Juve are in command here but @G_Higuain is still full of energy as he hunts his side's 3rd goal. Follow live here: https://t.co/SnG1XWmI1g pic.twitter.com/mqYQV1Lb7k
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 9, 2017
For much of this season, Manchester United and Chelsea fans have been left bemused by the Colombian’s resurgence.
He’s been a throwback to the gloriously classic centre forward this term but tonight they would have recognised this version of the 31-year-old.
The Monaco skipper looked short of energy and was simply a throwback to the man who had two unsuccessful loan stints in the Premier League.
He, too, had his chances though and he twice came within a whisker of scoring. Giorgio Chiellini a colossal figure for Juve, first got in front of the Colombian to head away a Benajmin Mendy cross and then his last-ditch tackle diverted another cross out when Falcao was waiting at the back post.
Falcao: “We fought hard all season for Monaco and for French football and we hope we’ll be better next season.” #UCL pic.twitter.com/HXu0AhnKUa
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 9, 2017
22nd min: The Argentine should have opened the scoring. Monaco failed to deal with a ball forward and Higuain is freed on the right-side of the box and his dinked effort fools Monaco stopped Danijel Subasic but the lack of pace on the back enabled the backtracking Kamil Glik to hack away.
23rd min: Just superb football from the hosts as Higuain collected the ball on the edge of the area, snuck a well disguised pass through to Mario Mandzukic but the Croatian’s poked effort is well blocked by Subasic.
36th min: Another good opening for Higuain saw Mandzukic turn creator as deep inside his own half he sent a long pass which Higuain latched onto. He found room to shape and shoot from the edge of the area and he forced a good low save from Subasic.
18th min: Kylian Mbappe swivelled on the ball just outside the box and the teenager spread the ball out to the left for Bejamin Mendy, who fizzed a cracking ball into the box but Juve’s Giorgio Chiellini just got across Falcao to head wide.
31st min: Bernardo Silva lofted a long free-kick into the box and the Colombian, with a crowd of players around him, delightfully takes the ball in with a sumptuous touch but his lashed effort was parried away from Gigi Buffon with the lurking Mbappe offside.
39th min: Falcao went into the book with an atypical striker’s challenge as he clumsily bundled down Alex Sandro just inside his own half for a yellow card.
Full of energy and desperate to score but his finishing ultimately let him down this evening.
He’s one goal away from clinching the best single season record for goals scored in all competitions from a Juventus player as he sits on 32.
It won’t be long until he breaks that record, though.
6/10
The 31-year-old looks like he is running out of legs as the tale of his heartwarming rebirth reaches its end this season.
He wasn’t clinical enough when he needed to be but Falcao is back among the world’s best forwards, even if he didn’t necessarily prove that across the two semi-final ties.
6/10
All statistics are compiled using whoscored.com
