PSG: Lucas Beraldo already sends a strong message to Luis Enrique

On the eve of the international break, Paris Saint-Germain had a perilous trip to succeed in the framework of the 3rd day of Ligue 1. In Lille, Luis Enrique’s troops had to remain undefeated against a confident LOSC team that also won its first two days. For this match at the Pierre Mauroy stadium, the Spanish coach was forced to start Lucas Beraldo on the left side of the defense due to the absence of Nuno Mendes. Indeed, the Portuguese full-back contracted a virus and was therefore unable to travel to the North of France this Sunday evening. The spotlight was therefore logically focused on Beraldo. Recruited last January in Brazil, he had had a mixed start before showing great things at the end of the campaign, notably in the Champions League. At only 20 years old, the former defensive rock of São Paulo had to reassure his world.

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«How can you not like Beraldo? It’s one of the curiosities of football. You can sign an experienced player of 30 years old and he will need one or two years to adapt, and you can also take a Beraldo, who is only 20 years old and in ten days, it seems like he has been playing in Paris for years.“, Luis Enrique had already rejoiced at the end of last season. But with a full preparation under his belt, Lucas Beraldo was no longer going to be judged as the young winter recruit straight from Brazil who needs to be given time. In Paris, you have to line up performances quickly with solidity and regularity to convince coaches, supporters and managers. And for his first start with PSG this season, the native of Piracicaba responded and above all sent a very clear message to his club, just a few days after the end of the summer transfer window, in this victory controlled by his team (1-3).

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Should Paris Saint-Germain recruit again? This is the question that has been on everyone’s lips in recent weeks, particularly among some Parisian supporters and observers who have questioned the depth of the Parisian squad. While the offensive lines have mostly taken up space in these debates, the left-back position has often come up. While Nordi Mukiele and Juan Bernat have been loaned to Bayer Leverkusen and Villarreal respectively, the left flank of the Parisian defense was now only composed of Nuno Mendes and Lucas Beraldo. With the Portuguese being prone to injuries, it is the Brazilian, a central defender by trade, who therefore acts as the official understudy. This did not reassure part of the Parisian community. But his coach and his management have maintained the confidence they had placed in him last season and Beraldo is returning the favor. Although he struggled to contain Edon Zhegrova in the first half, the Brazilian gradually managed to get back into the game, stringing together solid interceptions and winning five duels against his opponent on the left flank.

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Not everything is always perfect, but he still has 85% of successful passes. He is clearly on the right track. In any case, Lucas Beraldo can also count on the confidence of his teammates and not the least: “He is progressing, that’s for sure. In Brazil, we noticed that he was a player who had a lot of qualities. Coming to Europe is never easy, especially in winter, he adapts very quickly. He plays in several positions, he is a very versatile player. The coach appreciates his versatility. He is much more mature, with experience. We try to talk to him a lot. The coach tries to give him good experiences so that he can play and adapt. He is already a great player and he will continue to improve.“, declared his compatriot and captain, Marquinhos, in the mixed zone after the victory against LOSC. While he will join his selection today, Lucas Beraldo can return to South America with a free mind and the feeling of a job well done.