It's Time for PSG's Lucas Moura to Step Up and Impress in the Champions League

Back in 2012, Paris Saint-Germain reportedly beat off interest from the likes of Manchester United and others to win the signature of Brazilian winger Lucas Moura.

There have been moments of brilliance, glimpses of genius, but in assessing the 24-year-old's time in the French capital, it has to be labelled as a disappointment.

"My goal is to help the team win titles," he told press when he signed, via UEFA.com. "Paris is a big club. There's a great challenge ahead and Leonardo really helped me to make this decision. I'll do everything I can to achieve our goals and entertain the fans. I'll try to get to my best possible form with my new club after having given my all to Sao Paulo."

Lucas has already met his first target. Four league titles, two Coupe de France and three Coupe de la Ligue trophies.

For Brazil, he has 35 caps and four goals, and from the outside, that looks respectable. Comparing players of the same age, only Oscar and Neymar have done more. But in reality, his international career has been a disappointment.

He has only picked up three caps since 2014 and since his debut in 2011, Lucas hasn't featured for Brazil at a World Cup. And following his move to PSG he has only been awarded 14 minutes at the Copa America. He's a long way from fulfilling his international ambitions.

Now, as he goes into his fifth Champions League campaign for the Parisians, it is time for Lucas to step up and look to become the player everyone has always hoped he would be.

“He really has his ups and down,” PSG fan and Swedish journalist Andreas Karlsson told Bleacher Report. “Ever since he came to PSG for a really big price tag I've always felt like, 'well now he is going to take that next step only to be invisible the game after.'

"So far Lucas has for me shown skills that entertain the crowd and just put a smile of your face, but necessarily doesn't really help the team. But, if there is anyone who can make Lucas take the next step I think it's Emery and hopefully help him being more consistent."

The squad has changed again, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has gone, meaning that Lucas, alongside Edinson Cavani and Angel Di Maria, becomes one of the senior members of the attack.

"Yes of course, [Ibrahimovic] left a void," he told Omnisport (via FourFourTwo). "Especially with his quality, his status. He commanded respect on the pitch.

"He's a player who will be missed, but PSG is a great club. We shouldn't be dependent on one player. We have many players who can make a difference too. I think we will remain strong."

The former Sao Paulo forward will be one of the players expected to step up in the Swede's absence, but despite a decent return in the domestic competitions, he has failed in the Champions League.

Playing against Arsenal at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday provides the Brazilian with the perfect stage to blossom and impress.

“The Champions League is coming and it starts with a tough match,” Lucas told Goal.com. “We’ll play a very strong Arsenal team. We’re looking forward to it. Even against Saint-Etienne it was hard not to think of this match.”

Unlike the match against Les Verts, in the Champions League, Lucas will likely find more space down the wings to hit on the break, and that's where he is at his best.

In the opening competitive fixture, PSG destroyed Olympique Lyonnais in the Trophee des Champions. The opposition played a high line and attacked, and they were punished for it.

Against Bastia, Metz and Saint-Etienne, PSG were made to work hard. There wasn't a lot of room to hit on the break, and space in behind was limited.

This is the type of game made for the 24-year-old, and his opportunities to show that he can be one of the best in his position are beginning to run out.

His Champions League debut came in February 2013, with his new club taking on Valencia at the Mestalla in the Round of 16.

In the first half, he was outstanding. Terrorising the Spanish defence, he set up Javier Pastore for their second goal, giving them a 2-0 half-time lead. In true Lucas fashion he faded after the break, and Los Che nicked one back.

PSG would progress 3-2 on aggregate before being knocked out by Barcelona on away goals at the quarter-final stage.

Amazingly, although he has played 30 times in Europe's top competition since that night in Valencia, he has only managed two more assists.

Two goals in 31 games is far from a return to be admired. Rather, you would expect much, much more from the talented Brazilian.

You can see that he has the ability and is a gifted talent, yet, he has never shown consistency, or the quality to deliver at the highest level.

One moment he will jink past two or three defenders, fashion a shot on goal or find an excellent pass. Then the next, his touch will let him down, he will pick the wrong option and you can hear the gasps from the Parc des Princes crowd.

Canal-Supporters writer and PSG fan Quentin Polin agrees, and isn't convinced we will ever see the best of the Brazilian.

"He is just a joker, just a good substitute," he told Bleacher Report.  "The point is when he came he played a lot because PSG spent a lot of money to buy him so that was a kind of obligation to put him on the pitch. When Cavani arrived, things changed for him because the Uruguayan played on right side, leaving Lucas on the bench."

With the arrival of Unai Emery, Polin suggests that Lucas will have a chance to reach his potential.

"Perhaps things will change now that Emery is here, because I know he likes this kind of player. Someone who gives all they have in training and during the game."

The Sevilla boss has previous, taking players like Kevin Gameiro, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Steven N'Zonzi and turning them into European winners. Yet, Lucas may be his biggest challenge yet.

"Lucas has a lot of problems," Quentin continued. "I mean he doesn't have a tactical intelligence. He is the type of player who just takes the ball and runs, runs and runs without thinking about the game, without the ball and people around him."

The belief is that, similar to someone like Arsenal's Theo Walcott, the Brazilian doesn't have the football intelligence to lift his game to the highest heights.

"

I remember when he came to France everybody said he was on the same level as Neymar. Now you just have to look at their statistics and the way they play, there is a very, very, very big gap between them. Neymar is a superstar; Lucas is a good substitute. He looks like he wants to prove a lot of things, he wants, but he never learns.

"

It's clear that the jury is out on PSG's Brazilian winger. At 24 years old, his development at this stage is crucial.

If he can't show that he can be a game-changer for the French champions in the Champions League, he might never be the player they thought they were buying in 2011.