The 2016/17 UEFA Champions League Semi-Final clash between Juventus and Monaco pitted a hungry French outfit against a strong Italian side, who had lost the title two years earlier in 2015 at the hands of Barcelona.
The final aggregate scoreline fell 4-1 in favor of Juventus, who put in a masterful display over both legs. Monaco’s solitary goal was scored by one 18-year-old French prodigy, who would go on to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia the following year.
Kylian Mbappé burst onto the scene with great momentum during the 2016/17 season, when he propelled Monaco to the Ligue 1 title, and his performances on the continental stage didn’t go unnoticed – especially by the defender who faced him during the semi-final.
Speaking to Tuttosport in an exclusive interview (via Goal.com), Barzagli said: “I remember like it was yesterday the feeling I felt in Monte Carlo against the 18-year-old Mbappé. He was going at 3000mph. At the end of the game I went to Paratici and told him: ‘What are we waiting for to get him?’ The director made me understand that everyone already wanted him and it was practically impossible to approach Mbappé.“
His performances for the Ligue 1 side garnered him unprecedented attention, from top European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, where he ended up moving.
Barzagli retired at the end of the 2018/19 Serie A season, having appeared 281 times for Juventus over the course of nine seasons.