Gonzalo Higuain struggles with the burden of having missed clear-cut chances in major finals, Argentina great Hernan Crespo has suggested.
The Juventus striker has long been one of the most clinical strikers in European club football but has forged a reputation for fluffing his lines on the biggest of stages.
"This is more a question for a psychologist, as his technical abilities are beyond any doubt," Crespo, who is behind only Lionel Messi and Gabriel Batistuta in Argentina's goalscoring charts, told Omnisport.
"It's like a chain reaction. It's not rare for this to happen in a final - it can happen to anyone. The thing is if you have the mental ability to accept the mistake, and in the next final to have forgotten the previous error.
"Obviously, in his case, certain mistakes in finals are being added to his history. He can't avoid remembering them. I repeat: this is more a psychological question than a technical one."
Crespo hopes that Icardi's omission is simply down to the fact that Bauza would not want to consign the Inter captain to a substitute role, rather than a failure to recognise his quality.
"I have no doubt that he deserves it [to be called up] but if you think about it, Argentina have Messi, Aguero, Higuain up front... it's not easy," said the former Inter, AC Milan and Chelsea striker.
"I believe and I hope that the reason behind his absence is a matter of respect. That is to say: 'I haven't called Inter's captain because, in these two matches, he is at risk of watching them from the bench and playing a single minute'.
"I hope that the reason is this and not a question of technical issues, because that will worry me.
"Icardi is an extraordinary player, but I believe in Bauza's intelligence and capabilities."
