Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Kylian Mbappe: Dortmund hitman faces off with the young Monaco hotshot in the Champions League quarter-finals
SunSport looks at a face-off between two of the world's hottest striking talents in the Champions League quarter-final first leg
TWO of the world’s hottest strikers clash in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night.
And the biggest clubs in Spain, England and Italy will be looking on closely.
Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang takes on Monaco’s teen superstar Kylian Mbappe when the Ligue 1 leaders visit Germany on Tuesday night.
Gabon international Aubameyang, 27, averages more than a goal every two games for Dortmund.
And 18-year-old Frenchman Mbappe is often labelled as the new Thierry Henry.
Here we compare arguable the two best frontman outside the traditional giants of the European game.
STYLE
Aubameyang has developed from a dangerous yet unpredictable speed merchant into a lethal goalscorer in his near four seasons at Dortmund.
Under studious Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel, his football brain and especially his finishing have improved immensely, with his pace still a key weapon in his armoury, along with his ability in the air.
Mbappe only made his Ligue 1 debut 16 months ago and has been linked to just about every big club.
At close to a decade younger than Aubameyang he is naturally rawer but he too possesses fearsome and impressive upper body strength, as well as an impressive temperament.
PEDIGREE
Aubameyang already has more than 100 Dortmund goals and his 25 in 25 Bundesliga games this season is behind only the 27 scored by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and PSG’s Edinson Cavani in Europe’s major leagues.
He has 32 goals in 35 matches in all competitions this season, compared to 39 in total last term.
His seven in seven in Europe included a hat-trick in the second leg of their last-16 meeting with Benfica.
Mbappe, last season yielded just one goal, but this season he has firmly announced his arrival with 19 goals in 33 games in all competitions.
He made his senior France debut last month and the way he ran Manchester City’s terrified defence ragged in the last round suggests he is suited to the big stage.
FORM
Aubameyang is on a hot streak, with 11 in his last eight games in all competitions.
aturday’s defeat at Bayern Munich was his first blank since mid-February.
Mbappe is without a goal in his last three club matches but hit 13 in 12 games in February and March, including in both legs against City.
