Gonzalo Higuain said he was relishing proving the doubters wrong after coming off the bench to inspire Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Olympiakos in Turin.
The 29-year-old roared towards the jubilant home fans in delight, pumped his chest and threw his jersey into the crowd in the Allianz Stadium after Wednesday night’s win.
“I don’t let myself be bothered by criticism whether it be positive or negative,” said the French-born Argentina player.
“The fans really fired me up before I came on and it was beautiful to see their delight after I scored, it’s the most beautiful moment of my career.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side needed to reignite their European campaign after falling 3-0 to Barcelona two weeks ago.
Higuain had been benched for two consecutive matches after scoring just two goals this season but came on as a substitute to score and help set up the second for Mario Mandzukic.
“I didn’t feel under pressure. I am not disturbed by criticism or insults, it’s all about having faith in yourself.
“I heard people say I was in crisis for not scoring in two or three games, that’s good, because obviously they were accustomed to me scoring in every game.”
Captain Gianluigi Buffon, who became the first Italian player to mark 110 Champions League appearances, praised Higuain’s resilience.
“Higuain deserves it, you can prod him every way possible, but he has to give the response on the field and he did that,” he said.
