With Paris Saint-Germain competing against some of the biggest teams in Europe in the Intercontinental Champions Cup in the United States in a few days, now is the time for some to secure their position in the starting XI.
PSG are in the hunt for more offensive players which means the speedy Lucas Moura is in danger of losing his spot. Despite having a great season on a personal level as he greatly improved in certain aspects of his game and was one of PSG’s major contributors in a team that had to get used to playing without Zlatan Ibrahimovic during stretches of last season.
Lucas is a talented player with great pace and ability to dribble in tight spaces but still needs to work on certain areas of his game; like his finishing and decision-making, which have let him down on a number of occasions. Lucas is a player with tremendous potential and with players like Javier Pastore almost missing out entirely on pre-season and PSG yet to sign a new attacker, Lucas has the chance to prove that he’s good enough to be a starter next season.
Serge Aurier is another player with a lot to prove in the preseason. Aurier will be looking to make the right back position his after the progress he made towards the end of last season, despite the reoccurring injuries that plagued him. But he’ll have competition from Marquinhos, who was first choice late last season, and Gregory van der Wiel, if he isn’t sold this summer. Unlike last season, where he missed part of preseason due to his participation in the World Cup, the Ivorian has started preparation for the new season early, in a bid to be fit for the long season ahead. A very talented player capable of becoming the best player in the world in his position, Aurier still has to clear manager Laurent Blanc’s doubts to establish himself as a first team regular.
And what would preseason be without the youth players getting a chance to shine? Nineteen-year-old Presnel Kimpembe isn’t exactly in contention for a starting spot but he needs to prove the he is ready to make the step up to the first team. With most of the regular center backs missing most of the preseason due to the Copa America, he’ll have a chance to show that he can hold his own against some of the best strikers from the biggest teams in Europe. Who knows, he might even get a shot at starting in the Trophée des Champions final against Lyon on August 1, 2015.
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