Kylian Mbappe relishing Gianluigi Buffon battle

AS Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he is looking forward to facing Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Mbappe, 18, has scored 24 times in 52 appearances for Monaco this season, including five times in the 2016-17 Champions League, which has led to a host of speculation surrounding his future.

Buffon, meanwhile, is currently in his 16th season in the Juventus first team, but the veteran goalkeeper has not yet lifted the Champions League during a glittering career.

Monaco will welcome Juventus for the first leg of their European semi-final on Wednesday night, and Mbappe is confident that his team have the credentials to eliminate the Italian champions.

"He is a goalkeeper who has made his mark on history, one of the best in the world," Mbappe told UEFA's official website. "I'm glad I'll play against him. You work every day to play against players like him. When you do, you want to give your best to beat them.

"Juventus are a great club. Everybody knows their history, the great players who played there, the great players who still play there. They're a great team, and they eliminated Barcelona, who were also among the favourites.

"They showed they have what it takes to win the competition. But we also have qualities and we'll do everything we can to get to the final."

Buffon started his professional career with Parma in 1995, three years before Mbappe was born.