Source: Gonzalo Higuain on Twitter
Gonzalo Higuain has been a massive success in Serie A. One of the best strikers in the world, the Argentina international has taken his game to a whole new level since leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2013. The 29-year-old scored 121 goals in 264 matches for Madrid from 2007 until 2013, but there was always the feeling that he took far too many chances to find the net and simply did not do enough in big matches.
That cannot be said about the Higuain, who has been gracing Italy for the past four years. The 29-year-old took his game to the next level at Napoli during his three years at the Neapolitan club, scoring goals after goals in Serie A. The former River Plate star replaced Edinson Cavani almost seamlessly at Napoli in 2013, and guided them to third, fifth and second-place finishes during his three years at the Stadio San Paolo. It was in his final season at Napoli that Higuain broke a record in Italy, becoming the first player to score 36 goals in a Serie A campaign, one more than Gunnar Nordahl did for AC Milan back in the 1949-50 season.
Juventus came calling in the summer of 2016 and snapped up Higuain for a whooping £75.3 million. The 29-year-old did not disappoint in his debut season at the Allianz Stadium, playing a key role in Massimiliano Allegri’s winning Series A and progressing to the Champions League final. The Argentine scored 24 goals and provided three assists in 32 Serie A starts for Juve last season, and scored five goals and provided one assist in 12 appearances in the Champions League.
Source: Fabio Cannavaro on Twitter
As with recent seasons, Juventus are the favourites to win Serie A and have the best squad in Italy. Although AC Milan have been splashing the cash in the summer transfer window and AS Roma and Napoli remain strong threats, it would take a brave man to bet against Juventus winning the Scudetto for an unprecedented seventh season in a row. This is not to say that the Turin giants will not lose the odd game or two – and you can check out the live sports betting feature to wager on their individual matches – but it is hard to see the Bianconeri lose their stranglehold on the title.
Although one suspects that Higuain will be delighted to have played an important role in Juventus winning the Scudetto as well as reaching the final of the Champions League, deep inside he will be disappointed not to have won the topscorer’s award in Serie A. Having won the Capocannoniere with Napoli, notching 36 goals in the process, in 2015-16, he will have frustrated to see Edin Dzeko of AS Roma clinch the Golden Boot in the Italian top flight with 29 goals last season.
Higuain, though, will be confident of reclaiming the Golden Boot from the former Manchester City striker this season. With hugely creative and dynamic players such as Miralem Pjanic, Juan Cuadrado, Douglas Costa and Paulo Dybala around him, Higuain will get chances. The Argentine has matured immensely as a footballer over the last four years and become more clinical. If Higuain remains fit, then he will certainly have a very good chance of winning the Serie A Golden Boot this season.