It took Lucas Moura a little while to get there, but today the PSG forward is in the form of his career.
Under coach Unai Emery this season but, three years into his career in Ligue 1, the former Sao Paulo man has become a vital part of the French champions.
And the stats prove it.
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This season, Lucas has taken until just February to hit a career-best 14 goals for PSG, surpassing his total of 13 for the entirety of last season.
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He has also created 35 chances in 25 Ligue 1 outings, leaving him well on course to exceed last season’s total of 57.
Moreover, nobody created more chances the 24 Lucas provided his team-mates in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.
The 24-year-old has found the net in three of his last four matches, which have all ended victorious for PSG as they seek to close the gap on Monaco at the top of the table.
And he will be desperate to impress Brazil coach Tite, who is currently in Europe to take a closer look at a number of potential call-ups for the squad that will return to World Cup qualifying in March.
Tite and his staff will attend the Champions League clash between PSG and Barcelona in Paris on Tuesday, on what will be something of an audition for Lucas.
One of the standout talents from a generation that featured Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, Lucas rose to stardom after hitting a hat-trick in the final of the 2011 South American Championship, despite having a relatively mediocre tournament up to that game.
While Neymar and Coutinho look set to play major roles in the future of the Selecao, however, Lucas Moura has never been able to nail down a place in the first-team and has made just three international appearances since 2013.
With Tite’s attacking triumvirate of Neymar, Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus looking immovable, Lucas will be well aware his chances of securing a place in the XI are slim, but his first task is simply to get back into the squad.
Lucas recently celebrated his 200th match for the French giants, but will be keen to improve on his 40 goals and 41 assists over that time.
This week will be a big one for Lucas, and he can ill afford not to impress the new boss in the French capital on Tuesday.
