Lucas Noubi: Every weekend you come up against top opponents | OneFootball

Deportivo’s center-back is currently with Belgium’s under-21s and is using the opportunity to reflect on the start of the season

The international break has become the ideal setting for Lucas Noubi to assess, with the perspective that distance provides, his rapid rise since arriving in the Herculean city. Away with the Belgium under-21 national team for a decisive clash against Wales in the European Championship qualifying stage, the young Deportivo defender spoke to media in his home country about a start to the season defined by the step up in demands in LaLiga. Noubi had no hesitation in describing the club’s recent promotion with the blue-and-white side as “one of the best moments” of his career, while also highlighting the unique atmosphere in the city: “A Coruña lives and breathes football, and you can feel the club’s history; the fans have huge expectations, although the pressure is nowhere near what it must have been in the Champions League era”.

After a flying start in which he made five straight starts in the first five league matches, the Belgian defender has been relegated to the bench for the last two games, a situation he is treating as motivation to keep improving day by day under the coaching staff’s guidance. “The adaptation to LaLiga is going well, but it’s a completely different level compared to the Segunda División. We play against very strong teams every weekend and I’m adapting, but I’ll do everything possible to win back my place”, explained the center-back, who also spoke about the privilege of sharing a dressing room with world-class figures such as Aubameyang and Adama Traoré, admitting with a laugh that facing them in daily training is “quite a challenge” that is speeding up his tactical and physical development.

This growth in Spanish football has strengthened the young defender’s international ambitions, and he is already one of the leaders of Belgium’s under-21 side after overcoming difficult periods during his time at Standard Liège. Following the example of his close friend Nathan Ngoy — already established in the senior national team after coming through the academy with him in Liège — Noubi has made no secret of the fact that breaking into the senior side is his main short-term goal. “If I work well at Deportivo and perform, reaching the senior team could happen relatively soon”, confessed the Deportivo player, focused on putting in a strong showing with his national team before rejoining the blue-and-white setup and staking his claim for a place in the starting eleven once again.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.